After the Storm
by Felicity Hartington
Summary: Third book in the Daughter of the Lost God series. I know it's a corny title, but you know? It's been a year after Phoenix's death and yet, Penelope still grieves. In the dark ocean below a new villain is rising, his name, Levus. Here we go again.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I thought about this for the longest time…and I decided to write a third book in my _Daughter of the Lost god_ series! This one is about Penelope…as a god…doing godly stuff. No I'm just j-k'ing No Penelope falls in love with another guy, she's haunted by the memory of Phoenix and blah, blah, blah you know Penelope mopey-mary-sue-like **

Sunlight spilled onto the bright towers of Olympus. Horns sounded in the distance as I lifted my head off of my pillow. Beautiful notes of music floated through my open arched window, I looked out of the small castle and onto a great sea. Ivy had snuck its way up the walls and into crevices, down below the sea clashed against the rock. I didn't live in New York, I preferred Greece. It was peaceful quiet. I was most the time, alone.

Apollo solemnly rode past the window with a dash of light; he hadn't smiled in almost two years. I knew why. I knew why the great sun god had finally stopped flirting. I knew why most days across the world were overcastted and gray. My heart twisted with the sick pain of knowing. Even the bright sunshine of Apollo was still not enough to mend it. To erase what had happened a year ago…

The Romans… Reyna had killed him… She had…killed him. Stuck a knife through his strong chest, until he was gone… He had been selfish, but he had saved my life. And now the last thing I could think about was, why?

"My goddess!" Lilac sailed in her long blond hair braided into one long braid down her back, twigs of lilac and flowers were twisted around her forehead like a crown. "You are sad my lady… What's the matter?" She was so sweet and innocent, why should I sully her beautiful spirit. She was a loyal servant that didn't disserve to hear of my same-old stories of old.

"Nothing my sweet Lilac, would you braid my hair little one?" The small girl's eyes lit up with excitement. She nodded and leaped upon my bed, pushing aside all the arrays of pillows and blankets twisted in an untidy order. She combed out my long brown hair, which reached down to nearly my butt now. I closed my eyes and breathed in the salty air of the ocean and felt the comforting touch of Lilac behind my head. She gently tugged and pulled in directions. Her hands worked furiously, as if to prove her skill.

There was a knock on the door, I quickly opened my eyes and waved my hand. The door opened automatically and Jordyn came trotting in. Her long bronze hair was twisted and untamed. I laughed at her sweet sleepy expression, "Come here little one." She ran to me and laid her head on my shoulder, Lilac giggled at Jordyn. The two ran off together, chasing one another around the room.

Marcus followed in after Jordyn, I smiled at him. "Hullo goddess." He swiftly bowed and grabbed Jordyn up with his strong arms and swung her around. She laughed with delight; I smiled despite my sorrowful mood. Lilac started weaving pieces of petals and flowers into my hair since her playmate was busy at the moment.

"Marcus! Put me dooowwwwnnnnn!" She screamed, a wide smile shining on her round small face. How Jordyn still smiled after her father's own death I wasn't sure. Her father had asked me to protect her, Zeus soon after that killed him. He had been a good friend and a fellow fallen warrior in the battle between the Romans and the Greeks. The "mini" Trojan, as some would call it.

The horns in the distance grew louder, "Lilac I have a council meeting, thank you for you kind touch." Lilac's cheeks blushed a delicate shade of lavender. She curtsied and disappeared in a cloud of sweet smelling purple. Jordyn sat upon my bed and Marcus studied me for a long moment.

"You look lovely my goddess." I blushed; I smiled and shook off his compliment.

"Thank you Marcus, but I do not want to look appealing. More of a-just-rolled-out-of-bed-thing, you know?" Marcus laughed,

"Then you will look as you say." His English was improving immensely; Jordyn had taken it under her own hand to teach him. I took my leave after a small wave and walked out of the castle. A few minor gods ran by chasing after a beautiful girl, who could only be a naiad. I walked along the rocky, uneven trail to the grand monument that sat in the morning sunlight. The Council of the Gods. Godly characters waved to me as they passed, Hermes gave me a letter on his way rushing to the counsel building.

I delicately opened and found the letter nestled between the two pieces of paper. I flipped it open inside was Percy's sloppy hand writing. I smiled, I missed my old friend. He was now almost a senior in high school. He addressed how everyone was doing back at camp; his last words were that he missed me. Perhaps I would take the trek down the mountain to see my old friends at Camp Half Blood.

Upon entering the council building I was greeted by a startling shriek.

"PENELOPE!" Then something heavy impelled me in the chest toppling me over onto the marble floor. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" I laughed; the screaming voice was none other than my best friend, Pearl. Half nyrad, half-god.

"I've been sitting on Olympus playing the lyre and sipping wine with Dionysus. My dear friend! I've been busy, people feel the sudden urge in this day of age to start randomly burning down forest and killing off satyrs!" I disgustedly bit down hard on my lip, Pearl burst out laughing.

"Ah, Penelope stop acting all godly. You're starting to talk like a character right out of Shakespepper these days. 'Thou shalt naught lay down thee sleeping body of thee dracon.' Ug, he was annoying even when he _wasn't _talking. He actually offered me the actual part of Julio in the play, uhhh… _Homeo and Julio_." I had a hard time believing from that explanation that Pearl had been even been part of that play. For one Pearl was a horrible liar and two, she didn't even know Shakespeare's name.

"Right." I said and continued on down the Persian rug, my Grecian-style dress flowing right along with the carpet. As I neared the counsel my heart beat began to get louder, I was going to see an empty chair once more where Phoenix had once sat. I would have smiled at him and laughed because of the bored expression on his face. I would miss him terribly… I didn't even know how I could once more try to regain composure. My little brother Jake, now a "god-in-training" sat next to his father, Eros and our mother sat next to Demeter our grandmother.

"Well about time you showed up. I knew you weren't ready to have your own castle yet…" My mother tsked in disapproval; I rolled my eyes and lounged lazily across my own chair. Soon the doors of the great council building flew open as Zeus marched across the large floor, Earth slowly circling inside. He sat down on the chair his face was incredibly angry. Two things could have happened; one Zeus was an over-dramatic man who probably just got the wrong order of coffee at Starbucks. Or something bad really happened.

"Poseidon!" Zeus yelled, his brother looked up with only milled interest.

"Yes Zeus, what did I do this time? Did I steal your Lightening  
>Bolt, or perhaps I was in with Hera last night. Maybe I actually just had a thing for one of your daughters, or could it have been Percy almost massacring Olympus when we both know it's indestructible. WHAT COULD I HAVE POSSIBLY DONE WRONG?" Zeus stared at Poseidon for a minute and then shook his head,<p>

"All I was going to say was, if you wanted a cappuccino or a vanilla latte! BUT OBVIOSLY I BLAME YOU FOR EVERYTHING!" The two of them went off on each other, I could only watch with bane interest. We only had these counsel meetings once every year in Greece and yet they couldn't get their acts together.

"MY LORDS!" Hermes spoke up; he twirled the calculus in his hand. Both members of the Big Three stared at him. He finally seemed to notice when Zeus cleared his throat that they were paying attention to him, "Oh yes, well I was just reminding you that today, _is _in fact one year," He pulled out a Ipad and touched it a few times, "yup exactly _one _year since Penelope's coronation." I covered my face in my hands, _oh gods. _

"Well indeed it is. My sweet granddaughter, your no longer just a goddess. You're a full powered member of the Council! You actually have your name in a textbook, look!" Demeter exclaimed, although I didn't want to, I did. It was just a casual drop of my name, but it was in there. A small sentence about me, but it was there! I actually had my name in a textbook. Clapping started and I turned away, I hated attention.

"Well that means the Penelope you get your own symbol and flag." Zeus waved his hand a dark green forked flag rolled out right next to my mother's, a small sapling of something was beginning to rise out of the dirt on mine. I blushed, it was actually very pretty. Gold lined the flag and the plant actually seemed to move as if alive.

"Thank you sire." I said and looked to Mom. She gave me a proud smile. The day was getting better; maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Zeus and Poseidon griped for a few more hours about finances and petty human things, and then finally got around the planning of the winter solstice.

"Well of course Artemis will speak, as always." Zeus gave his daughter a shining smile. She winked at him. "Uh…yeah well that's all there is to it." That's it? Nothing for the victims of the Roman and Greek war? Nothing?

"Lord Zeus, what about…" I swallowed the lump in my throat, "What about the demigods lost in combat for our kingdom? What about them? What about…what about the gods…" I felt a tear slipping down my cheek, "What about the brave son of Apollo who gave his life for me at the battle?" Zeus bit his lip, Apollo looked up. His eyes layered with the same sadness as my own. We shared something in our look, hate, love, and loss.

Zeus regarded me with a look of implication. He acknowledged the tears that were now swiftly running down my face with a concerned face and then, "Very well Penelope. But if it is to be done, we need a planner. Athena! My dear you go ahead and do your thing." Athena gave Zeus a glare, and then nodded. "Well if that is all, the meeting of the gods is dismissed." Zeus waved a hand and he disappeared in a mini storm of lightening.

I got up from my chair, only to find Pearl hugging me. I saw tears were in her own eyes, I had forgotten a time ago Phoenix had been her boyfriend. It was just as hard on me as it was for her. "Oh Pearl." I said into her collar bone, "What are we going to do?" She shook her head,

"Pen, keep your head up." She shook my shoulders, "You hear me? We're stronger then this!" I smiled and pushed a tear off her rosy cheek.

"Strong and courageous." She laughed and took my hand and we walked out of the council room. Her long brunette hair had grown to a longer length; her features looked some-what sharper. The sea had begun to take her as its own, seaweed grew up her arms, and starfishes stuck to her short mini-skirt. "It's weird not seeing you everyday, you know?" Pearl looked at me her sea-green eyes shimmered with nostalgia.

"Yeah… I miss you a lot Pen. Sometimes when I'm all alone, Carlina's out doing some super cool thing or whatever, I just think of all the good times we used to have. Percy, me, you, Phoenix, and sometimes Grover and Rodney." I smiled at the thought of the quest last year, finding the lost god, meeting the spirit of my father, finding the last wild place on Earth. Everything was still picture perfect I could remember literally everything.

"I always think of him… I-I feel like the hole he left in me is getting bigger every single day… I can't stop thinking of him. Pearl, it's as if my whole world's on fire. I mean Jordyn's there and so is Marcus, but I mean… I can't-I wish I could take it all back. Our break up…just everything. I wish I could've held onto him longer, felt him longer, just everything I wish…" I trailed off; there was nothing more I could say.

"We all go through it Pen. Everyone does, it doesn't matter who we are… It happens to each and every single one of us. There was something I never told you. When I was little,"

"You mean ten thousand years old little? Or really little?" She gave me a sad smile,

"I mean like little, little. Anyway I was only like three years old. My mom's name was Li, she was a nryad. You knew that though, well you know that Kraken, that like ate that princess, what's-her-face? Well it killed my mom…Poseidon thought that I was dead when it killed her. So…for fourteen thousand years I stayed alive, but there was always this horrible grief in my stomach. Some where deep inside of me… I-I guess I just wanted to end my life. Then I met Percy… Gods that idiot really changed my life, got under my skin quite a few times if you remember, but I loved that son of a bitch." She smiled and I knew she truly meant it. "He made me want to keep fighting, keep doing my thing you know? So I did, I plan to stick around for another fourteen thousand years." I hugged her once more,

"Good because I think I'm going to need you." She smiled and we walked down the rocky path of the cliff. Pearl told me everything of what she had been up to the past year, it turns out Poseidon was facing some pretty bad stuff down at the bottom of the ocean. A new character in ancient Greek mythology was rising, a guy named Levus. Pearl said Carlina and Triton were doing their best to help their dad out, but it was pretty impossible when the guy was only the size of Poseidon in godly form. I couldn't help but wonder what other horrible things were waiting for me this summer.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who read! It means so much to me that you guys are still out there waiting for my stuff Anyway thanks again **

When I returned Jordyn said an Iris Message had come for me from Camp Half Blood. I walked through the marble halls until I reached the bathroom I opened the wide window and let sunlight pour in through it, and then I turned on the water. As light met water, a rainbow flooded I tossed a drachma into it and it disappeared. "Chiron, please Iris." An image appeared of one my favorite people in the whole world; he was hunched over on his desk. Papers spread out all over the desk; Chiron had a white knuckled hand clutching his forehead.

"Chiron!" I said a smile coming to my lips; Chiron startled himself and almost fell backwards. He turned his head and saw me smiling, that warm smile that made me feel like I could say anything to him.

"Well hello my dear, how are you?" I replied I was fine, but I could tell something was wrong with him. His warm brown eyes were guarded and filled with something…

"Chiron what's wrong?" I sensed something did, but Chiron was smart. He paused then led into it,

"There is Penelope, and I'm afraid I need you to come to camp for that reason. There are some stories and issues I need to discuss with you. If you wouldn't mind coming within the hour?" I nodded and said I would be there right away. I ran to my dresser and pulled out my old orange Camp Half Blood T-shirt. It still smelled like strawberries and summer, I pulled out a pair of jean shorts, and slipped the outfit on. I went to find Pearl who had slunk off to some where.

"Pearl!" I called, it echoed coldly off the walls of the castle. Something was wrong. I could feel the cold finger of fear slide down my spine, a simple premonition of horror settled into my stomach. Then a noise chilled my blood, a scream filled with fear and terror. I ran in the direction, I saw it. A glimpse of a giant watery hand dragging Pearl under the waves. She caught my eye, "PENELOPE! HELP ME!" I leaped off of the edge of the balcony and fell straight onto the cliff face, I furiously grabbed for Pearl's hand.

"Grab on, hurry!" I screamed at her, she tried to reach but her arm was too short. I sent a vine to wrap around her waist, but it was to no avail. The monster had her in its grip.

"PENEOPLE I'M GOING UNDER! FIND PERCY AND FIND ME!" Then she was gone. It was as if it had never happened, the water calmed and seagulls screeched above the ocean. I sank to my knees, tears flooding down my cheeks.

"Pearl…" I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked back and found Marcus. He gave me a look of concern, "I have to go find Poseidon…" I choked out. I ran to the council building once more that day, Poseidon and Apollo were still standing there talking. "Poseidon! Poseidon my lord!" He looked up as I skidded across the marble floor.

"What is it child?"

"I-its Pearl! She-she was k-kidnapped by this giant hand in the water. Is it L-Levus?" His eyes filled with fear, and he rushed out of the building.

"I'll alarm Lona at once sire!" Wait Lona? Why my mother? I turned to Apollo, "Get to Camp Half Blood now!" He demanded I furrowed my brow, but did as he said. I closed my eyes and pictured the evergreen tree that grew right outside the borders of camp. I attached my mental vine to it and pulled on it. I transported quickly, stumbling on the paved road right outside camp. I had to warn the demigods and Chiron. Something was happening. Something bad.

The Big House rose in the distance, its firm structure still stood tall even after all these years. I reached the doors and banged loudly, desperation was gripping into my insides. I had to find Percy. Chiron answered the door; he immediately noticed something was wrong. "What is it Penelope?"

"We can't talk about it here Chiron. Where is some where private?"

"My office." I ran to his large but cozy office. The endless walls of books lined each side of the office. I had always loved the smell of Chiron's office, musty and filled with the scent of dried eucalyptus. I turned to look at him, I sat myself down in one of the overstuffed chairs that sat on the over plush carpet of the room.

"Well there has been word on Olympus that an evil "character" Levus is rising in the ocean. Pearl…"I paused my breath getting stuck in my throat, "Pearl was kidnapped a little less than twenty minutes ago. Olympus is on high alert; Apollo rushed me to warn you. We need to put stronger barriers of camp for now, and then, we talk Chiron. The lives of the demigods are at risk." He nodded gravely,

"So be it." I ran out of the Big House and onto the shores of the ocean, I touched the sand and called to Lilivinth. I felt his spirit awaken inside of me and he came close enough to the shore for me to see his giant dark form. A large scaly black dorsal fin rose out of the water.

"Lilivinth guard the borders of camp from the waters. If anything tries to persuade you to move use all of your will power not to, understand?"

_Your wish is my command, my lady. _His voice spoke in my mind, I rushed to the forest. I found a group of dead trees; speaking to them they grew longer. Their limbs stretching up towards the sky and their trunks becoming thicker "Go guard the camp at all expenses." They began their somber walk to the paved road where the borders were. I rushed to find Percy.

I found him with Annabeth, swinging on a child's swing. He was laughing and smiling his incredible smile. I stopped for a minute caught up in those amazing green eyes, but I shook off the feeling and ran to him. Annabeth spotted me first, "Penelope what are you-"

"Penelope!" Percy stood up and ran to me, "My gods you look amazing." He looped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground. I felt happiness surge inside of me,

"Percy." I murmured against his chest. "Percy! Shit! Percy come with me!" He looked surprised,

"What? What happened? Who died?" I gave him a glare and pulled on his wrist pulling him with me. When we got to the sandy beach he saw Lilivinth and jumped. "Holy shit! What the hell is that?"

"Percy quick tell all the sea creatures to guard the camp!" My voice surging with urgency, he looked at me oddly but did as I said. He closed his eyes and whispered a single word, "_Tereo._" It was ancient Greek, and then he reopened them and looked at me.

"Will you please tell me what's going on?" I sighed in relief and sagged against him. "Pen are you okay?" I rubbed my temples,

"No Percy too much is going on; you better come with me to talk to Chiron." He crinkled his brow, "Its important Percy." He nodded and followed after me, Chiron sat in his magic wheelchair in his office. I sat down across from him. "Well Chiron let me start at the beginning. It was a normal day in Greece except we had that stupid yearly "council thing". I met Pearl there, she had come with Poseidon, and she told me that the new villain of the year award goes to a guy named, Levus. As the council ended we went our separate ways, but soon afterwards I heard Pearl's cries for help. I found her being pulled down by this watery hand, but when I went and told Poseidon everyone started freaking out." I waited for him to say something.

Chiron stared out the window, at the skyline the sun was shining extremely bright today. All was eerily quiet. The birds ceased to chirp, children ceased to shout and play, and the satyrs' horns were ungodly quiet. Chiron took a breath and began what Percy and I both knew was an extremely long explanation, "If you are to defeat Levus, there needs to be the story of how he came to be. Percy you already know his father the sea titian, Oceanus. But Penelope in the beginning, there was a goddess birthed young and naïve. She was gentle and fair to all animals and creatures of Earth, although one day she stumbled away from her mother and found a river. It seemed to beckon for her and as she reached down to touch it she found a man pop up.

"This man was the Titan, Oceanus he was strong, lean, and very wise. He knew how to trick the young goddess into giving up her own self to him. For this Titan he wished for a child, more of a son then a daughter. He spoke to the goddess with touching words, the goddess fell in love with the Titan and he stole her away. When the Titan brought her to his palace under the sea he discovered she could not breathe under water, so he had to build her a castle on the sea to supply her own needs. Soon the castle, an exact replica of his own, was mounted above the surface of the ocean.

"Nine months later, she gave him what he wanted. A son. He was just as he had wanted, but this goddess she was very special. She was a twin, now not knowing which one she was, Oceanus automatically assumed it was the older one, the one born a minute apart from her sister. But she wasn't this one was younger, and she was just a tad different. Because what Oceanus didn't know was that her older sister had already been kidnapped… By a god named Hades." I closed my eyes and breathed in, _oh dear gods I know what's coming… _"This particular goddess was named Lona. Goddess of Flowers." My heart stopped beating for literally a second nothing was heard other then my labored breathing. I quickly got up,

"Excuse me I think I need a breath of air." I rushed out of Chiron's office, as I came out the door I felt vomit come through my throat. I leaned over the edge of the porch and puked. As I did I felt a comforting hand on my back, when I looked up Percy stood there. He handed me a wet rag, "Thanks…" I mumbled wiping my mouth. When I was finished I sighed and closed my eyes, pressing my hand on the bridge of my nose. "Oh dear gods Percy… My b-brother i-is… L-Levus." Percy nodded,

"Well that would be the case and point now wouldn't it?" He stared out at the strawberry fields in the distance. Children of Demeter rushed through the green fields plucking them, and regrowing them all over again. I had once picked strawberries at camp; it hadn't ended so well…if I remembered right it had ended with me poking mad strawberries with sticks of fire. "But I suppose you'd better come back inside, I mean no use of standing out here moping about it." I nodded,

"It's hard ya know? Trying to do everything for everyone, it seems that everyone has an easy life but me." Percy looked up and crinkled his brow,

"Do you really think that my life is _easy_?" His eyes flashed angrily, "No offense Penelope, but if you haven't noticed your not the only one with shit going on in their lives. You know I got a little brother now…h-he dominates my mom and Paul and i-it just seems like… It just seems that now they have a "normal" son, and it's just me out there. So I don't think it's just you who has a bag of problems following them around!" He looked angry; Percy had never gotten angry at me before. A wave of emotion hit me and a tear trickled out, "Oh gods Penelope don't start." I waved him away,

"I'm sorry," I choked out my voice squeaking with emotion and feeling, "Its just that I-I can't help it Percy…" I started flat-out sobbing, the whole tears streaming down my face, eyes getting blotchy, and shoulders shaking. Percy sighed and took me in his arms,

"It's going to be okay Pen, we'll get her back. We'll defeat Levus that I promise to you." I looked at him and I saw hard cold determination burning within them. That look…it made me smile and feel my own fires of bravery and determination start to enflame and I stopped crying. "Come on, Chiron's waiting for us." We walked back down the hall and into Chiron's office. He looked at us expectantly, then sighed and gestured to the two chairs we had been sitting in.

"Well as I was saying, Penelope your related to this because your mother is also Levus's mother." I inclined my head, as my sadness was residing I was starting to feel anger bubble in my blood. My mother had "forgotten" to tell me this. "Well after a short time Lona fled from her child and asked permission to become human, you know the rest of the story. But Oceanus had expected Lona to raise Levus, when the Titan War happened the first time Oceanus was thrown into Tartarus. Levus only being a boy didn't know what had happened to his parents, he soon learned to defend for himself and soon he grew to be a man at a very young age. Poseidon assumed he was his own child and took him in. When Levus grew older he found a beautiful nymph that Poseidon had resigned just for his own sake, but Levus was in love. He took the nymph and Poseidon was forced to send him out into the world for betraying him. Levus fell asleep and like Gaea, had not awakened until a very short time ago. Percy you must speak to your father, things have to happen. Very desperate measures must be made and you will need a god's permission to do it."

"If I may ask, Chiron what possibly could have to be done?" I asked, anger was still stinging my tongue, and I felt compelled to drench Chiron in it.

"There is only one person who has the power to do kill him. There is only one person who knows what must be done to overtake him." The age was becoming very present in Chiron's face, eight hundred years was catching up to him. I started to worry.

"Who?" Percy asked, his eyes darted nervously to Chiron's eyes to mine.

"You have defeated him one Percy you must now join in alliance with him…"

"Who! Gods damn it Chiron, who!" He was almost standing up, his eyes growing wide with desperation.

"Kronos, Percy. You must enter Tartarus to find him." My breath caught in my throat, Percy and I stood frozen looking at Chiron. The end was about to come.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well I'm sorry if that one sucked but I had writer's block and had to use the idea from an old story anyway I hope you guys enjoy this next installment of my book. Well before I begin… I'd like to say thank you to my Phoenix, my boy, _Nicholas_. Love you hunnie! **

_The room is dark. Chains hold his glimmering body to the floor. His head tosses and turns, but his eyes are dull. I try to call out to him but my voice is held in my throat. When he heaves himself into a crab position, blood pours from a wound in his stomach, the blood is a beautiful eerie gold. He screams out in pain and collapses upon the floor. He lays limp for a second before once more trying to regain his composure. A heart beat rumbles through his body so weakly it's hardly audible. _

_ He tries to break the chains, each and every breathtaking muscle moves under his skin. There is a cry a girl in silver kneels before him. She holds her breath and strokes his aching shoulders. He relaxes against her; she strokes his stained and overgrown hair. She seems to be faintly glowing with a silver color, not the silver of Artemis but of a more hopeful, more demanding glow. _

_ "You must be strong my lord. She will come to help you. I promise." She has a long sun-kissed braid down her back and when I look into her blue eyes I think I see familiarity. With her encouraging words, he begins to work himself to the bitter core once more. I try once more to reach for him, touch him, feel him, tell him, but everything I try is useless. He is gone and far beyond my reach. _

I awake with a jolt. My body clammy from sweat and my eyes still adjusting to the dark, I press a hand against my forehead and sigh. Warning bells are ringing in my ears and throb is beginning to grow in the space above my right eyebrow. At each pulsing beat, it feels as if a hammer is pounding into my soul. I only get the feeling when something terribly wrong is going to happen. It has never been this bad since…since well since Phoenix died.

The dream is becoming foggy and I can't remember all details of it. I try to grasp it but it slips away faster. There was a boy... I had known him, the girl she seemed familiar too. The whole thing seemed to have an evil feel to it. But the thing that I could never forget was the feeling of the room. It felt like the sun would never shine again, I would never smile, and Jake and Lona were dead. I needed to see someone, anyone who would make me happy.

Tendrils of dust lifted up as I stepped down from my bed in the Big House's guest bedroom. The room was plain in the daylight in appeared to have plain white walls and a beige, creamy color of the floor. The bed, although was very comfortable and soft. A picture of Mount Olympus hung on the wall, by the choppy lines and slapdash work; I could tell it was done by a child. I crept through the sleeping house. Miscellaneous noises came from closed doors, sometimes I truly wondered what Chiron and Mr. D did all day in here.

Cold air hit me as I opened the door. Despite the summer's full moon, an eerie color of pale was washed over the whole camp. I stole through the camp and rolled past a harpy flashlight beam. The Athena cabin stood like a brick, solid and smelled like old maps. I was about to knock on the door, but thought better of it. I slipped around back and saw Annabeth sleeping through the window, I slowly opened it with such delicacy as if were a baby. I leapt over the sleeping camper below the window and right over to Annabeth's bunk. I gingerly tapped her, like a light she was awake. Alert and on guard, she saw me but didn't relax at all.

"Hey Blondie, long time no see." I said, she glared and rolled her eyes.

"What do you want Penelope?" She whispered harshly, her throaty whisper was demanding. Gods, Annabeth was a born general. I yanked on her wrist, hard. With a lunge we were both out of the cabin, running for Percy's cabin. Grover met us along the way,

"You still want to do this Penelope?" I nodded to him and dodged a harpy flash.

"Alright, will someone please explain to me what's going on?" Annabeth commanded,

"Annabeth, did Penelope not tell you?" Annabeth sent me a glare and shook her head, "Oh well Percy, you, Penelope, and me are meeting in his cabin about a "top secret" mission." Annabeth's brow furrowed and she slowed up a bit,

"Whoa, wait you guys. What "top secret" mission?" Her expression was a mask of confusion and excitement.

"Uh… We'll discuss it later, but for right now…LET'S GO!" I hollered at her, when we reached Percy's cabin a single light was on. He opened it without me even banging on the door. "Hey cutie…I mean cutie_s_." He said quickly looking at Annabeth. When he saw her, he opened his arms to her.

"Come ere' Sleepyhead." She grumbled but reluctantly leaned against him, he swung her up in his arms. He cradled her like a child then settled her down on his bunk. She smiled at him and he kissed her nose. She looked extremely happy; I saw everything in that look she gave him. All the love, hurt, loss, adventures, death, and loyalty. All that they were was in the look. I sighed and started the conversation we were supposed to talk about.

"Alright everyone, let's get to the point. Percy and I have to go Tartarus to well…meet with uh…K-Kronos." An uneasy silence settled around the cabin. "We need both your guy's help. So you in?" Annabeth shot up right away,

"Of course!" Grover wasn't as easily persuaded. "I don't like underground you guys. So why would in my right goatie mind would I like Tartarus?" Grover sighed and looked at Percy and Annabeth, "You two are my best friends," He looked at me, "You're my goddess, I would follow you all of you to the ends of the Earth, but Tartarus isn't for me." He jumped off the bunk he had been sitting on. Percy gave Grover a look of understanding,

"I get what you're puttin' down, my main man." He smiled at him, and Grover patted his back.

"I have to be going then, I'll talk to you _ladies _tomorrow then." He flashed Percy a smile and ran out of the door. I heard his footsteps carry on through the night, my ears picking up the sounds of the crickets, the harpies, the monsters in the woods, and my own heart beat. Percy got on the bunk Annabeth sat on, and pulled her to him.

"Alright if were going to do this, we need a plan. Tartarus is full of crazy shit that we don't even want to find out about." Annabeth smiled at him,

"Already done, Tartarus knows how to confuse the mind of both gods and demigods. Penelope you'll need to guide The Blackness away from Percy and me. Well since your both looking at me like I'm crazy, I'll explain. The Blackness is the way Tartarus snatches you without you expecting it; it teases you, taunts you, and will try every single way it can to kill you. It tricks you constantly; if you don't pay attention it will fool you. I can guarantee it. If you journey in with anyone, Tartarus knows exactly how to use you against the other.

"This is why we have to design a type of rope to always hold us together. Penelope, the only way us demigods can get in is if you allow us entry. Since you're a full fledged goddess you can only grant us permission. Anyway on a happier note, if you learn to use The Blackness to your advantage, you can get where you want to be. In this case it's a lot like the Labyrinth." Percy's face hardened before Annabeth continued. Percy had once started to tell me about The Battle of the Labyrinth, bad things had happened down there. Terrible things that Percy refused to reminisce about.

"Alright so its set we leave tomorrow?" I asked my voice squeaking a little on the last question.

"Well there's one problem… The ancient Greeks believed in balance. Tartarus has never changed in the past eight billion years; it's still set to the angle of 800 B.C.E. So basically we have to have an even amount of girls and boys. Percy pick one boy right now!" She slapped him on the back of the head.

"Ow! Um… Tyson!" We all glanced at the empty bunk beneath Percy's. "Never mind he's away. Uh… Who should we take?"

"Jason?" Annabeth suggested.

"Nah… Cause' then we have to invite Piper _and_ Leo… Too much!"

"You know what would be good? Another god!" Before I could even pull the words back in my mouth they were gone. "Uh, I mean another minor god. I mean, it's great and stuff if a demigod goes, but I mean you guys will be better protected if another god goes."

"That's a good idea, Penelope you're in charge of that." Great. Percy and Annabeth discussed some other things. Most of them I didn't pay any attention to, when the sun was beginning to rise in the horizon, I bided them farewell and left. So where was I going to find another god? I would have to think on that for a little while.

For old times sake I decided to go to Mount Logan. It would help me think of what was going on. I closed my eyes and quickly sent myself to the top of Mount Logan. I stumbled as I landed on my feet firmly. The grass was luscious and nymphs sang songs of praise and glory. A clouded leopard leaped down its branch in a tree and stared pushing its head against my legs. I stroked its satiny fur, a group of unicorns trotted over to me. I gave each of them a stroke on their velvet noses. I departed their group and walked to the center of the mountain and sat down. The gentle breeze tickled my hair and made me look out over the Canadian wilderness. It was truly beautiful. I was the ruler of all of it.

"Ten bucks you make it past the sea and half-way around the world into my arms." I turned back and saw _him_. My heart started to pound,

"A-Are y-you…a-are you really there?" He smiled,

"Of course I am, where else would I be?" That smile. It froze time. The whole world was beginning to make sense. But then my own voice echoed in my brain. _You shouldn't be here with me Phoenix, I don't deserve you. _His face crumbled and he stepped back…he was a delusion. He wasn't here…he hadn't come back to me.

"I love you. If that's not proof enough that you deserve me, then what is?" His brow was furrowing, like he was trying to figure out a difficult math problem. _It's not like that… You'll never understand. _

"Why do you say that? H-How could you say that?" His words had torn at my heart, and now they were once more. I blinked hard. Tears were starting to form in my green eyes. Go away. I thought to him. I ran at him and he dissolved into a shimmer. "Phoenix!" I screamed into the sky and all that answered was my echo rocketing across the canyons.

A warm feeling spread through my arms as I felt a wet sensation on my left shoulder. I looked through my tears and saw a golden dog sitting there. Well not really golden. But his coat was such a blond that it was almost a luscious golden. A name tag hung around his neck, _Name: Dace, Address: 321 Death Lane the Underworld, If found please return to Lord Hades of Death. _"Wow boy you're a long way from home." His coat was like a bullet proof vest, metallic and hard but soft to the touch. His eyes were amber that shimmered from a soft yellow to a stormy grey. He yelped and dropped a ball at my knees. I got up from my pose and threw it. He ran past it with the speed of light. I blinked and he dropped it once more at me feet.

"Holy crap your good." _Got that right, I'm the golden Hellhound. _I laughed and scratched his ears, "You look like just a regular dog to me. If you can prove it, I'll believe you." _Heh, if I can prove it. Throw it again. _I picked up the ball and threw it, he ran at a normal pace, but when he came back flames quickly sprang from beneath his hindquarters. "Who are you?" _I'm a goddess bitch! _He waggled himself a bit and my jaw dropped. "How? Dace you're a dog…" _I'M A GOD! IS IT THAT HARD TO BELIEVE! EVER SEEN A GOD THAT'S A DOG! _"It's just hard to believe…"

He was seriously angry, his jaws showed dagger teeth that would scare anyone out of their skin. They were as sharp and knives and as a long as razors. _My father is Apollo and my mother is Chimera. _"Oh she's charming." She growled, the ground cracked, _I hear from the northern Hellhounds your searching for a god to accompany you on a quest._ "Perhaps." _There is a legend you know, Pan had the power to tame the golden Hellhound. If you can tame me…well I might come with you. I've been to Tartarus it's not good to be alone there._

"Tame you? What do you mean? You seem tame." The dog barked, but it sounded an awfully lot like a laugh. _Leave it to you amateur gods to not know what _tame _is. I act tame; if you can get the golden collar off of my neck I'll join you. You don't, well…I might take something of yours. _"Alright dog, fine we'll play your way." He barked in excitement, _yes a game! _He circled me and his form began to glow. Soon he was about the size of a rhino; he rose on hind legs like a rearing horse and went at me. I leaped at his neck, and I jumped on top of him. He barked and I fell to the ground. Oh hell no. I leaped right back off the dirt, it was stirring from the impact of my fall, and I furiously wiped away the mud from my cheeks. "Come on you stupid dog!" I yelled, anger was beginning to course through my veins. The lime green liquid ran through them, showing my anger.

Dace didn't like being called stupid, he growled and his teeth grew out of his mouth and twisted like elephant tusks. His golden fur glimmered in the light of the sun, and then he charged once more. I screamed and my sound wave shocked him to the ground. I ran over to him and snapped the golden chain off his neck, "I Penelope, Goddess of the Wild call upon the god Dace and make him my own." A pure golden light rippled around us, a golden chain wrapping around his neck, and tying to my wrist. In a flash it was gone.

_Alright Miss. Rondervin, you got me. What now? _"Now we go and whoop Tartarus's ass." 


	4. Chapter 4

Dace journeyed back to camp with me. When most of the demigods saw him, swords were drawn and arrows notched. I held my hands up and stood protectively in front of him, "Don't shoot, stab, injure, or kill the god." Clarisse snorted and shoved her sword back in its sheath. She gestured for the rest of the cabin to do so, when everyone had backed down. I walked through the busy camp and found Chiron discussing something with Mr. D.

"…he really thinks that?" Chiron was saying, his eyebrows knitted together like a sock.

"I suppose he does, I mean _he _did accuse Percy. What makes Poseidon think he wouldn't be part of this? Idiot father…married to his job." Thunder rumbled over head and Mr. D sent it a glare. "Oh shut up. Over dramatic king." He grumbled. I ran up the steps, Dace trotted quickly after me.

"Chiron. Dionysus. I would like to formally introduce you to Dace, god of hellhounds. AKA "The Golden Hellhound"." Mr. D burst out laughing; Dace sent a growl that made him shut his mouth. "Anyway you were talking about Zeus and Poseidon?" I leaned against a porch pole.

"Yes…well, Poseidon assumes Zeus awakened Levus and kidnapped Pearl, in order to get back at him for accusing him of stealing his Lightening Bolt. So all in all it's the same old, same old petty brotherly arguments. Ah family." A group of Ares kids punching each other rolled past. _Ah family. _Dace was watching intently, his large thick golden tail pounding on the porch making it shake.

Farther away from the porch a giant black hellhound emerged, chasing after Percy. Mrs. O'Leary, her sleek black fur was a mass full of white feathers. Oh gods what had Percy done to the poor thing now? _What beautiful maiden is that? _Dace asked in my mind, I filled him in. _She's so graceful…and-and, _Mrs. O'Leary tore apart a giant squeaky ball Percy had thrown her, _delicate. _I gave Dace a skeptic look and saw a tall figure strolling towards the porch.

Marcus. Why was he here? Why in the gods name was Marcus here? Where was Jordyn? I was about to have a cow, then Jordyn popped up from under the porch. "Hello Penelope!" She waved; I laughed and pulled her up.

"Sweetheart what are you doing down there?" She pointed toward Marcus; his bright intense blue eyes caught me off guard. "M-Marcus…" He smiled and bowed to me,

"My lady." He turned to Mr. D. "My king's son." Dionysus rolled his eyes,

"Well _excuse me_, didn't mean to interrupt the love fest." He sighed and walked into the Big House. I watched after him for a short moment, I was trying to look everywhere but Marcus' eyes. Chiron winked at me got up from where he was standing and leaped down from the porch. Great. I seemed to be thinking that more and more sarcastically everyday.

I turned slowly and saw Marcus looking at me. It wasn't creepy or odd, but his eyes slowly moved up and down my body. I met his and I locked my gaze with him. They were endless and so clear and clean, there was a point of oblivion in his eyes. I was lost… Only one other person had made me feel that way. I quickly looked away…shit. No, I would not ruin our friendship with this dumb fling.

"Goddess, I was wondering if I could accompany you to Tartarus…I-I would like to come with you." Oh Marcus, bless your soul.

"I can't allow you Marcus… I'm so sorry." I looked to Dace he gave me a doggy smirk. I snapped at him, and turned back to Marcus. "It's just that well Dace, here is coming with Percy, and me with Annabeth. I'm afraid its set." He nodded, but his face had hardened into one of his unreadable masks.

"Very well my goddess. I will follow as you command. But my fair maiden, you will not be unsafe for as long as I live." Marcus had a fierce look in his eyes which personally, scared me a little. I nodded and he left to walk along the rocky path that ran along the camp. Something in my heart lifted as he looked back, what was it? A lighter shade of something, it began to tear at the endless drapes over my heart.

Percy waved to me as he raised a slobbery half eaten log. Mrs. O'Leary tackled him to the ground, knocking the breath out of him. He laughed; she began to lick his face uncontrollably. Percy tried to shove her off, but only was dissolved into a lump of laughs. "Alright Mrs. O'Leary, go! Go see Penelope!" He spanked her large rump and she shot across the yard to me. I opened my arms to her, doubling in size so she wouldn't shove me to the ground. She licked my face, her breath smelled horrible but I adored her like she was my own dog.

"Whoa, toots did you grow since we last saw you?" I looked and was met by mischievous glares. The Stoll brothers. "Connor I swear she got bigger, hey my tootsie come 'ere!" A blond haired girl with very pretty dark brown eyes came other and rolled her eyes,

"What Travis? No, I'm not going out with you. I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!" Travis pretended to be injured in his heart,

"Wow that hurt Katie, anyway look it's our beloved Penelope she's the size of a horsey now." Connor laughed,

"Yeah the size of a _hore-see_." Travis and Connor started to laugh; Katie rolled her eyes once more and stepped over to me.

"Hey Pen!" She gave me a friendly hug, she smelled like sweet strawberries and fresh baked bread. A weird combination, but smelled great.

"Katie, Travis I see has finally found someone to fall in love with." She sighed in exasperation,

"You don't know the half of it. What I don't understand, is that he waits till I have Will, and _then _he gets all sweetly on me. First it was just simple looks of interest, you know the usual, 'Hey toots'. Then he started the whole, every-time-Will-touches-you-I'm-going-to-punch-him-in-the-nose. Finally he grabs my ass ten times a day, claiming I have the best ass at camp. I seriously hate him." She pushed a lose strand of curly hair back behind her ear.

I started to laugh hysterically. I had no idea what it was, but the fact that Katie was just so normal and friendly that I hadn't had that in awhile. Maybe that was it… We went on like that, talking about Travis and Connor-both of them, we had come to the conclusion were insane-for a little while. When we both heard the horn. This time it wasn't just for lunch it was for something worse. It meant camp was under attack.

Katie and I parted as she went to go find her siblings for battle. Travis and Connor ran off to arm themselves with gods knows what. I stood there frozen, I could feel a call, a plea, and it was the saddest thing I ever heard.

_ My lady! HELP! Help- _Lilivinth. I ran to the beach, my feet were moving fast but not fast enough. All I knew Lilivinth wasn't stirring or else I would have felt his spirit within mine. I rushed to the ocean Percy stood over it looking down at it. He reached out to it; I felt everything screaming inside of me to get to him. "PERCY! NO DON'T DO IT!" He turned and I pushed him out of the way just as the ocean tried to take a swipe at him. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! NEXT TIME YOU TRY TO TOUCH ANY OF THEM, I'LL KILL YOU WITH MY OWN HANDS!" My swearing even surprised me; I turned and saw red seeping through the water, a massive shape under the cloud of red wasn't moving.

Pain struck through me and I jumped into the water, ignoring Percy calling after me. I swam through the water, gills formed on the sides of my neck, and my feet grew webbed. Well that was new. I called out of Lilivinth. He didn't respond. That asshole was going to pay. I knew exactly who it was that had hurt my precious baby, I found him, and his great midnight black eyes were closed. His long snout rested on the bottom of the ocean, unmoving. "Oh Lilivinth…" I dove deeper and petted his smooth scaly skin. His eyes opened a crack.

_I hope you can forgive me my lady. _I wrapped my arms around the small patch of skin I could fit onto. "I love you Lil'." He took one last breath through his massive gills and was still. "Lil'…" I whimpered, but he was gone. Anger hit me and the kelp that grew around me started to grow rapidly. I couldn't hear my own thoughts for the blood pounding in my ears. I adjusted my dress strap and swam into the ocean, looking for any sign of Levus. He wouldn't get away with this… Lilivinth had been like a loyal best friend to me…

Out of the corner of my eye something moved. Darkness started to twirl into an upward circle and a handsome boy stepped out. He had long black hair that swayed to the left; it was shaggy but cute in a way. His shirt was off and flowered bathing suit bottoms hung loosely on his hips. I looked into his face and breathed in a gaping sigh, he had our mother's eyes. A beautiful hazel that sometimes, in the light, had slashes of light green. His nose was upturned and he appeared to be un-evil at that moment. He looked to be about my age, a few years older maybe twenty or so. His lips the same form at my own, very tight and straight-lined, like he always had a concentrated expression.

"Hello sister." His voice was ageless, he could have appeared anywhere from eighteen to hundred with it. I began to tense as he strode toward me, "I see you hate my tactics, but the dinosaur had to be destroyed my sweet little sister. It was only a matter of time before Poseidon believed you were trying to get him with the _creature_." He emphasized 'creature', like it meant monster. Anger began to boil within me, my vision tinted to a red.

"Don't ever call me sister again. I'm no family of yours, if you can't even show respect for the things I love." I said this dangerously low, it was all I could do not release everything I had burning inside of me to unleash it onto him. He smiled and an evil, amused smile formed on his face.

"So you do have the family's streak. Mom didn't want anything to do with me, obviously that's where I got the temper that I have." He bended down and drew in the sand, "My powers are almost fully formed Penelope, do you know what happens when their complete?" His face was a mask of unreadable expression.

"I'll take a guess, your going to try to destroy the gods." My words perfectly calm and placid, two could play at this game. He laughed and the sea seemed to stir as the rumble of his chest echoed across the empty dunes.

"Your smarter then I thought. That's exactly what I plan on doing." I chose my words, and soon found the right ones.

"You won't succeed Levus," I smiled cruelly; "You won't ever win. Zeus and Poseidon, they'll figure out your plans. If they don't, I'll tell them what your problem is. Cause' personally _brother _I see right through your lies." He narrowed his eyes at me. There it was, that was all the indication I needed, I raised my hand and a glowing ball of power formed in it. "Plus right now would not be a good time for you to piss me off, I don't play nice nowadays."

"I see, well Penelope. We'll see who believes who, we'll definitely see, won't we?" His answer chilled me, and he started laughing like I had told him the funniest joke ever. He smiled and was gone in a cloud of blackness. I felt suddenly weak and overused. I collapsed on the bottom of the sea floor. Tears started to form in my eyes, but they didn't stream down my cheeks. They were lost with the vastness of the ocean.

I realized I had to get back to camp. People would worry, that was not something I wanted the demigods to think about right now. They were happy these beautiful summer days, the days when the daunting task of trying fit in with the world wasn't with them. They were all one at camp and for that reason I adored it.

The surface lapped against my breastsas I rose out of the water. The warning horns were silenced and I saw Percy had a worried expression on his face, he stood on the shore. The water caressing his feet, he saw me and relief flowed on his face. I leaped out of the water and landed on my feet. I was automatically welcomed into his warm, strong arms. Percy was my best friend, and despite everything we had been through I still had feelings for him.

"Oh dear gods, why the fuck would you do that!" He became angry, "My gods Penelope! Do you even know what you're doing? I was so fucking worried I think I almost gave birth," I stifled a laugh at that comment, "I don't even think that's possible. For one Annabeth and I haven't even had sex…yet, and two…well that would just be wrong…" He stared at the shoreline, his face morphed with a look of far off speculation. I backed out of his arms,

"I'm sorry Percy, but you have to understand, Levus is just my stupid brother. I can take him." Percy looked skeptical.

"I still think your that scrawny girl that was at the beach a few years ago, that I saved, that I-I…loved." He took my hand in his own, "Pen, Annabeth…she's my life. She's everything I ever will be. But you…you're one of my best friends. Don't scare me with any life threatening, stupid-ass, I-can-take-half-god-half-titan-because-I'm-hot-shit, moves." I smiled and kissed his cheek. We walked away from the shore and up to the Big House, not even noticing the set of startling blue eyes that followed me as we went.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey you guys! How goes it? I hope you had a happy THANKSGIVING! I'm a vegetarian, but I made a exception to Turkey…I mean who wouldn't? Anyway take a moment this week to give thanks for those in your life who make life worth living, for this I say thanks to my mama. Enjoy! **

The sun rose the next day like a speed racer. The pink sky tasted almost like iron and anxiety and fear were mixed in. As I walked out of the Big House that morning, I realized the great challenge that faced us today. We would enter into Tartarus, only our wit, courage, and powers would guide us through a giant black hole in the middle of the Underworld.

I arrived at the top of Half Blood Hill at noon, my bag packed and slung over my shoulder. Annabeth carried a small pouch around her neck and Percy, well Percy being warrior-like carried only Riptide, his beloved sword. Dace sprinted up the hill, the gold tag that was tied around his neck hung low to the ground. I glanced at each of them, making eye contact with each one.

"Ready?" Percy's sea green eyes withheld the burning fire of ambition. Annabeth nodded and took Percy's hand. Dace picked up a tennis ball. It was time to leave. "Hang onto me." I leaned down to the ground and drew a hellhound-sized square. The ground cracked and opened up under my feet, I leaped down first. I landed gracefully on my feet, surprisingly. As Annabeth came down, I grabbed her arm to steady her fall. Percy fell after her, smacking his face into the dirt.

"Ow…" Annabeth rolled her eyes. Dace jumped down, well er, more rolled down the tunnel. He got up shakily and looked to me. I nodded and gestured to go on; the ground was damp under our feet. The air smelled of earth and herbs. We were close the Underworld, I could sense lost souls calling to their god. As we neared the entrance, I put a hand up and allowed myself to go first. The tunnel leading into a wide cavernous area, held a pretty stained-glass door leading into another room. The stained-glass window had a picture of sculls in piles, Hades himself stood on top of them. He looked powerful with the haughty facial expression upon his handsome face.

I stepped through the doors, I was greeted by Charon. He stood behind a cherry wooded desk. I looked around the room, people with iridescent skin full of shimmering rainbow light, stood around the room looking disoriented and lost. I closed my eyes and breathed in, I wanted to help them…but I couldn't. It was against my oath I have given to Olympus. Only with Hades permission could I. "Well ello' there, aye' wait a second weren't you two chilluns' on my shipment a few years ago?" He looked at Percy and Annabeth, I shook my head furiously.

"No that was uh…their twins. Peanut and Annabel." Percy and Annabeth shot me looks, I ignored them. "Anyway Charon, how are you coming along these days? Finally found an undead, immortal bride to cheer you up?" Charon looked down and shook his head in shame,

"Sadly but no, I try to get out a little more then I used to. But it's hard, I mean Hades is hateful and I don't get out…"

"It's alright Charon, you can wait another three-hundred years. I have faith. Well Charon we need to get to Tartarus, ASAP." He nodded,

"Right lady god, come with me." He pressed down on a button on the wall. As I was about to step into the waiting elevator that had opened up, I saw a tiny girl. Her small hands pressed against the thick glass that separated her from the living world. A long silvery blond braid was tumbling down her back. Her blue eyes had slashes of silver and grey woven into them. Remembrance nearly shocked me off my feet, "Faye!" The little child turned her head and burst into tears when she saw me.

"Penny!" She ran at me and I swung her into my arms. Shushing her sobs in my neck, "Oh Penelope, I can't see my daddy anymore. I can't see anything beyond those doors. I was wandering off from Olympus because Jake said I could, and I reached the edge and I was falling… Then I was here!" She hit hysterics, I felt pain stab at my heart. Faye had died. Her brother only a year ago had died in the war between the Greeks and the Romans. Jake had offered to raise her along side himself; she had forged a bond with him.

Charon shook his head and gave me a sad shrug, "It's out of my hands my lady." I gulped down the lump in my throat.

"I'll take you to your brother Faye, he's in Elysium. I know he is. He was a hero."

Faye looked up and small tears streamed down her delicate and lovely, young features. "I can't go to him. It has to be my sister. She'll guide me to judges; she can make me live a peaceful death." Her sister? The silver-blue eyes that still haunted me every time I closed my eyes looked at me. That blond hair wound with moonlight… That gentle voice. The puzzle came together, the girl in my dream. The girl guarding the boy… Faye's sister. "She has to come with us." I looked at my friends. Annabeth gave me a warning look,

"Penelope the amount of people-"I silenced her with a wave of my hand,

"We have to Annabeth, she's a friend." Annabeth gave a long sigh then nodded; Percy gave Faye a small smile. Dace barked and leaped into the elevator, I followed behind them.

When the elevator opened a dock formed out from under us, green, slimy water seeped through the cracks. Careful not to step on the cracks, we journeyed to the end of the wooden boardwalk. Percy looked out of the River Styx for a minute longer. Annabeth took his hands; they shared a moment in their smile. Annabeth stuck her head into the crook of neck. I watched them in dismay, I was highly envious. Not of Annabeth, but the fact that I could never have that. I _would_ never have that. Faye sat down in the small river boat; Charon now a tall and stricken skeleton took hold of each of our hands and pulled us in. Dace leaped next to Faye, she threw her arms around his large neck, and they only wrapped half way around. Dace didn't seem to mind the attention.

Charon pulled a large stick through the thick, sickly looking water. Objects slunk through the water like dead things. Broken diplomas, birth certificates, graduation caps, a doctor's stethoscope, and other miscellaneous things. The River of Lost Dreams. Oh gods. It ends here. As Charon edged near the darkest part of the river I felt cold, ancient evil gripping my heart.

I was the first off the boat, allowing Percy to grab my hand. He swung Annabeth off the boat, Dace followed with Faye on top of his large golden back. We had arrived at the entrance of Tartarus. The giant black pit in the middle of the ground looked like your everyday normal, 'pit of doom.' As I walked to edge of the pit, a deep voice reverberated through the darkness. "Dare to enter _god_." It spoke with such hate and envy, I kneeled down.

"I, Penelope Rondervin Goddess of the Wild grant permission to Annabeth Chase, Perseus Jackson, Dace God of Hellhounds, and Faye Charleston to enter Tartarus. Please allow us to enter." The pit was silent,

"That is not all. Boy, show yourself." I looked at the pit with a questioned look. There was no other person with us. I turned around and then a boy stepped out. Oh. My. Gods. Marcus's brown curls were wet and water streamed down his face, his blue eyes burned against my own. I felt a desperate need to push him back to camp, to protect him.

"Marcus…" He held up his hand and stood close to me. "Let me explain, my goddess. I couldn't-I couldn't let you go. I had to go after you. I'm sorry, but I must my lady. It is and forever will be my duty to protect you, Jordyn is safe, don't worry about her." I took Marcus in for the first time, I really looked at him. He had long arms, they looked strong and well-defined muscles with muscles laced through them. He had burning blue eyes that could flash from a dark omnipotent blue, to a lighter shade that reminded me of the sky morning. The blue sky was young and born to a light shade, still blended with the dark of night. His face was dead set; his lips were full and seemed to get a determined hard look in them.

"I…" His eyes. I couldn't stop staring at those eyes; they were like blue fire, raging through me. They kept catching mine, holding them, the worst thing was though, I didn't mind. His gaze although intense, was full of sadness and quiet sympathy. "You can stay…" Was all I managed to gasp out. Marcus gave me a thankful look and turned to Annabeth and Percy. Percy puffed up his chest to try to look more like Marcus, but Annabeth just rolled her eyes. "Well Percy even in the pit of doom, your still an idiot." Percy laughed and deflated his chest.

"Well god, is this your party?" The pit echoed, breaking the moment. I nodded and suddenly warm strength licked up in my insides, I felt invincible and extremely brave.

"It is." The pit laughed, "What a motley crew. You may enter." And in a flash we were in the pit, surrounded by complete and utter darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Well I'm nervous as…what would one of our friends say, 'fighting a monster in the Underworld.' I'm in Model UN, and I have to write this two minute something speech about freaking helium. HELIUM! Ohmigods… What am I going to do? Anyway everybody wish me luck This chapter has a lot of Penelope/Marcus :/ **

Darkness. That was all you could see. All you could feel. All you could taste, sense, think, and pulse. I couldn't feel Marcus who had been behind me; his hand had slipped from mine. I couldn't _do _anything but feel a cold, horrible feeling wash over me. Something finally shimmered, a great big, golden thing bounded over to me. The feeling of dread resided some, I knelt down. Dace had small Faye upon his strong shoulders. _Come on, we gotta find the others. They'll die down here. _He woofed gravely, _Get on next to the kid, hang onto her for me, will ya? _I nodded; I still couldn't find my voice. I managed to summon some green light, it glowed softly around me.

A scream echoed through the Blackness. I focused on Annabeth's words that had been said to me so long ago, use it to your own will. I pictured Percy and Annabeth, both smiling and safe. There was a grunt from Dace and an abrupt stop, I opened my eyes, Annabeth and Percy stood together in each others arms. Percy's eyes flooded with relief and he ran to me, I leaped off of Dace and jumped into his arms. "Percy!" Oh gods, help us.

Dace lit the darkness with his golden light. The luminous darkness was full of sounds, screams, cries, yelps, mad laughing, and arguments. Dace tilted his head, sniffing the air. _North. The boy is north. _I cleared my achy throat,

"Which way is north?" Dace didn't answer my question, instead he turned. His tough metallic fur stood on end, his beautiful, horrible eyes narrowed, and he let loose a growl so terrifying it made me shiver down the spine. The darkness parted and out of it emerged four large black hellhounds. The largest one came to meet Dace, bowing down to his golden light. "Lead us to the boy." Dace barked gruffly. I had never heard Dace actually speak, just in my mind. Naturally, my jaw dropped.

"Holy shit! The dog talked!" Percy jumped and Annabeth muttered something about the sea producing nothing but idiots.

"Yes Seaweed Brain, the god of hellhounds would have different privileges then normal ones, I would hope?" Percy itched his head.

"Shut up!" I stifled an eye roll and turned back to Dace, the large black hellhound barked in agreement. _Of course lord! _He turned to his pack and they raced around us, scooping Annabeth and Percy onto their backs. Dace leaned down for me to get onto his back. I grasped Faye closer to me and we raced into the darkness.

As we rushed through the eternal blackness, a bitter feeling began to seep throughout my bones. I felt an evil so cold and dark, it made even the bright green goodness shiver around me. There was no hope… Why were we even trying? I slowly began to lose my hold on Faye, she screamed as I fell off. I fell to the damp, sodden ground. I lay there my hair spreading around my head, untamed and crazed. I didn't care. What was the point if my life was about to end anyway? The Blackness was licking at my edges; I could feel my goddess senses fading away. Nothing could save me now…

There was nothing for awhile. As my senses faded to dull and hazy, I felt strong arms engulf me. I lay limply, not blinking, breathing, I probably had looked dead. The person holding me let out a sob and I felt a small tear drift onto my collarbone. Warmness shifted through my body. It was slow moving like molasses, but it spread like an epidemic. Then it happened, something snapped. In a blazing light the darkness backed off of me. I stood flowing like the goddess I was.

Marcus was kneeling before me. His face had been devastated, now it shined with relief. "My lady." I kissed his hair, and kneeled down before him.

"You saved me, with your love Marcus." He brought me into him and I just rested in the embrace, savoring the last bit of love I felt. I realized it was too short. Tartarus was going to kill us; I had to find the others. "Come on Marcus, we have to go find the others." I spoke with my mind to Dace, pushing the power with my words. _Dace, come and find me. I'm with Marcus. _There was a high-pitched growl thrown through the darkness. I knew he would come.

Warmth overtook my cold hand. I looked and saw Marcus was holding it. It surged through me, making me believe we would find Kronos. There was a beginning and an end to every story, maybe Marcus was the beginning to my new story.

There was a speeding flaming ball that swooped under us. Dace had come. Faye had been crying, "Penny, why did you leave?" I smiled sadly at her, and kissed her beautiful blond head.

"Because I had to find a very special friend." I turned and smiled at Marcus. Oh holy lords. Those eyes. Gods look away, don't keep staring, come on Penelope turn away. I did, but I automatically regretted it. He watched me with those blue eyes, driving into the depths of my soul. I felt them moving inside of my spirit, feeling them linger on my face.

I was caught, trapped in that endless blue intricate pattern that his eyes wove into, so deep and almost terrifyingly real. I could feel my pulse begin to rise; my heart was beating like a jackhammer. He went for my hand, but I quickly pulled it away, breaking the moment in half.

Percy and Annabeth sat on two big black hellhounds in front of us. Annabeth's curly blond hair whipped back behind her, like a golden liquid flying from her tilted head. The Blackness stung as it hit us in the face like a cold winter wind. Everything seemed to be holding its breath. The Blackness held murderous sounds that stung our ears, creatures slunk below the feet of the hellhounds. White, demented people grappled for the Dace's flaming feet. All I could wonder of is what someone had to do to be punished to the ground of Tartarus.

Then finally as if time had come to standstill the darkness brightened and we entered a bloody war scene. The grass was clumped with mud and blood, bodies were strewn across the rocky terrain, and all had died a gruesome death. Arrows stuck out of some, swords and knifes lay with blood scabbed to the side. A white tent sat in the middle, a golden sword with blood dripping from it was the emblem on the side. The wind ruffled the edges of the tent, the grey clouds above the creamy structure, seemed to swirl around the very top.

As we drew closer I saw the sword on the side of the large tent was not a sword, but a scythe. The weapon of Kronos. Dace slowed, his breath came out quick and hyperventilated. _He's calling me. I-I can f-feel it. I can't go. _He bent down for me to lower myself. I stepped off; Percy moved to come with me. I held up a hand,

"I will go, if I send a flash of green…know it is me." Heads nodded, but Marcus followed. I allowed him, he was stronger then the demigods. I clasped his hand, warmth and strength shocked through my body. We walked boldly to the entrance a girl, dressed in a beautiful black satin dress, leaped from her position of the blood-stained ground.

"Who are you?" Her blue eyes had a silver complexion almost like looking into the depths of a clean fountain. Silver coins scattered below the deep surface, they were like stars placed upon the water. Shining so brilliantly, like a supernova and a Big Bang combusting together. Untamed, blond hair ran over her shoulders and down her back to her hips. It was beautiful, glimmering like the sun and the moon streaking into one silver and golden color. On her shoulder was a bow, an extremely long one. A delicate but deadly silver light seemed to glow around her.

"My name is Penelope Rondervin, Goddess of the Wild, and this is my consort, Marcus." This girl knew who I was. She didn't need me to explain to her. "I know who you are, and you know I. Why bother with these simple implications of introductions?" The girl's lips turned upward into a cunning smile.

"You are right goddess, why bother?" Her accent was deep and rich like a Greek's.

"Allow us passing into Kronos, and we will give you your sister." As the sound of my words, she glanced hotly at me.

"You have little Faye? Kronos told me she had died…She had-had been sacrificed." A small tear strolled from her wide, but beautiful eye. "He told me she was gone, I would never see her again. I never did, but I have watched her from afar. Her and Daniel… I miss them so dearly, but I'm sad to see my own brother has died, in a blood war. Then I find my sweet, little sister has passed… What am I to do?" Her voice was filled with despair and imperfection.

"Let us pass and I promise you. You will see your shining, little sister's face." She nodded, and with one quick but stealthily motion, she pulled open the drape of the tent. A dark swirl of smoke slowly formed into a ghostly looking body. He had no face but a dark mouth formed onto his dark skin.

It was almost a whisper filled with an ancient, raspy evil. "You have come. You have come for help, goddess." Marcus moved closer, his hand clutching mine with urgency.

"I have Kronos, my lord; I seek your help in defeating my brother. He is your brother's son." Kronos slumped against the pillows his translucent body laid upon.

"Why should I help you?" If Kronos had eyes he would narrowed them. I swallowed my fear and stepped forward,

"I have the key to your freedom Kronos. If you do this one good thing, maybe I can persuade Zeus to allow you to godship." Kronos' mouth contorted into an angry scowl.

"I. Don't. Want. To. Become. A. GOD! I'M A TITAN!" He exploded at me, power fled from his words sinking into my bones and muscle. I strained to bow to him, to just fall under his spell right there.

"It is either that Kronos, or stay here in this bloody war scene." Kronos' forehead crinkled and he looked up.

"Fine. I may help you. Levus is not an easy defeat, like the other gods you have killed. He is half-titan, half-god. If you use every force you have, it will still not mount to anything he has. He stands in a paramount next to you; he has both the power of plants and water at his aid. He will have his father's help if he finds him. But there is a weakness not even Levus knows of he has, do you know the River Styx? Of course you do. Levus was born in it; he has no weakness in physique, but within the mental part of the equation. Push. Penelope, if you do not give everything at this being, everything that you have, he will fall. Then if you have anything left, that is when you strike the blow to send him down here to me. You won't have to worry about him if you do so. There will be no more interruptions." A pleasant look settled into his sly smile.

"Is that all?" I was eager to get out of the tent; I could feel a sickly presence besides Kronos in the room.

"I suppose god." I was turning to leave when his last four words froze me to my bitter core.

"He is not dead." Something inside of me spurred me to run at the titan and strangle him till he told me where he was. "He's somewhere in between, I guess." I wanted to scream, run, cry, laugh, and kill him all at the same time. But it was useless; I was frozen to the spot.

Marcus took me into his arms. I rested against him, feeling his beating heart beneath my ear. I felt wetness and saw silent tears were pouring down my cheeks, soaking his cotton shirt. He held me so close that warmth spread through my body, as it always did when he held a piece of my body. "Why do you torture me?" I whispered to Kronos, and I knew he heard me, because he laughed. It was sick and twisted, filling with a gross sense of pleasure. Then a deep anger that had been hidden beneath my heavy heart exploded. Marcus backed from me. I looked at Kronos, every single cell, nerve, and thought was screaming at me to finish him off right now. He was weak. Only the strong could survive.

I raised my hand feeling a great, ancient power moving through it, but something stopped me. I hand gripping mine, I looked and the saw the girl with the black dress on holding it. "Watch what you do, god." Her words were bitter, but her eyes held a whole different story, almost as if it pained her to say those words to me. I ripped my hand from her's and gave her a look. Her face calmed and then suddenly with a lucid understanding. I remembered.

"Y-You know w-where he is?" Kronos answered for her.

"Anastasia knows everything. That's her horrible punishment; she was punished by the gods for knowing more then them. Athena mainly, and that horrible, conceited feeling she has over knowledge. Poor Anastasia, all you wanted to do was fit in Aragon, but you couldn't you found the secret of knowledge and they punished you for it." Anastasia's deadly blue eyes shot up and stared at him with daggers in her eyes.

"Don't remind me, my lord. Don't remind me of the death they put me through." Kronos acted as if he had never heard her,

"It's really my fault though. Giving birth to a beautiful daughter, no one wanted to marry her. All she asked for was love, and even that mother of yours didn't want you. She left you in the woods, hoping someone would come along and maybe care for you. But no one did. Did they Anastasia? You raised yourself, such a strong girl. So when you were offered the position of power and so much knowledge, you couldn't deny it. You longed for me, or for that matter, your mother to see you. A strong, confident, beautiful, strong, young woman that you were and you did a horrible job trying." He laughed and spit at the ground,

"You searched for it, everywhere. Until one day you found what that old, hag had talked about, they Stone of Knowledge. Sitting right there, like it had been there the whole time. It hadn't though, you had to kill a few kings for it to appear, and it finally did. One touch and every secret, thought, and temptation was revealed to you. _You _found out everything. Then you want to know what the best part of the story is, _you _wrecked her love, and _you _laughed when he fell. Didn't you Anastasia?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Warning this chapter sucks… **

"Well Anastasia are you going to tell her where her lover is?" Anastasia looked at me with a cold sense of pain. Her eyes pleading at me, but she hung her head in defeat.

"No my lord, I can not tell the goddess the whereabouts of the god." She said this in a tone directed to Kronos, but her eyes were locked with mine. Kronos gave her a sick grin,

"Why is that my dear?" He pulled his hand into a fist, and Anastasia was whipped, like a rag doll, over to him. "Please explain to her, _sweetheart_." He seethed through his teeth; Anastasia closed her eyes and tears flooded from them like waterfalls.

"Kronos is my father. Daniel, Faye, and I were separated at birth; my lord didn't want the other children, so he gave them up to live on their own. I was his chosen daughter, and I was forced to serve him ever since then. When I died a year ago, I was placed in Tartarus, and I'm labeled as a _fonias_." A shiver went down my spine, Marcus tightened at the word. Killer. One word was all she said, but it changed everything. I flew at her,

"NO! YOU CAN'T KILL HIM! I WON'T LET YOU!" I exploded at her, my heart racing. My face became red with anger, I screamed with so much emotion, hot angry tears streamed down my face. Anastasia knelt to the ground, holding her head sobbing to the ground. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM? YOU FED HIM LIES! YOU TOLD HIM I WOULD SAVE HIM!" She lifted her face, her eyes had evil lurking within them behind the good, she was torn.

"It is my job, to destroy every single shred of happiness that these beings have. Whether that be the love of their life, or killing people. For Phoenix it was you, I don't have much of a choice, I-I had to do it. It's my nature, Penelope. He didn't know who you were; all he could remember was your eyes." I fell to the ground, the pounding in my head was becoming to hard to hear over. I heard faintly what the rest of Anastasia said, but I didn't care. Phoenix had thought I was going to save him, and the worst thing was I had lost him all over again.

Marcus lifted me up and carried me out of Kronos' tent, Percy saw me and then anger filled his expression. "What. Did. He. Do. To. You?" His voice was dangerously low, and his sea-green eyes showed so much hatred and vengeance against Kronos', that I felt like hiding under something. I shook my head and sniffed. Anastasia emerged, her hair so long and beautiful flowed like a kinky river of gold and moonlight.

"Penelope-" Marcus gave me to Percy and turned around to face her,

"Do you know anything about this goddess?" Anastasia's pained face filled with regret. "She has done as much for you, as she has for the satyrs in the forest. She saved your tiny sister from death. Did you expect that? I'm not normal either Anastasia, I have a horrible family history too. I know what you have gone through, but yet I still fight alongside…Zeus." He said the lord of the sky's name like it was a bitter drink. "Yet you still remind her of the flame lord's death last summer. Have you no respect for the gods?" Marcus had turned into a bitter man; his blue eyes were blazing like a fire. He had an aura that rocketed off of him like a born commander, and his face was taunt and tight with tension and anger. He wasn't my gentle Marcus. No, he had transformed.

Anastasia was quiet for a minute then she looked up. Her eyes were neutral and showed no emotion. The tear stains on her pale, rosy cheeks gave her expressionless feign away. "I have learned to respect the gods. They use you. Can't you people see it! They use you like a puppet!" Her words were laced with fire and hate. "Penelope, you too have been used by your own kind. Your father made you become a god against your own will." I was on the ground sitting a little dazed in the moment, but her words snapped me out of it.

"Anastasia I don't ask for much. But this once I ask you, why? Why? Why do you follow him? Why did you pick up that Stone of Wisdom? Why did you…you do what you did to-to," I couldn't say his name, "to the lord of the flame? I have learned to forgive, but you have not. True it is unfair how your father lives, but look at yourself. You died. A beautiful, young, intelligent, girl with a pretty name died because her stupid father killed her. Oh of course, you deny it now that he did, but I know the truth." Hate was welling inside of me. Then it hit me, I had changed. I had changed so much.

The girl ripped off a golden chain that hung around her neck. It was a heart shaped locket, as she opened it a golden flash fused into the gold of the locket. When it died down a beautiful, bronze sword was in her hand. She plunged it into the ground; her eyes were omniscient as she did. Her hands were shaking and she pointed at the sword. "You ask so many questions. Do you really even know the answers to some of your own? You ask why? Because I was cursed, I didn't have a choice. Kronos was my father, as much we sometimes hate our family we cannot leave them in the dust. This sword was given to me by an old hag; she said using it would make me a great warrior. It did. But I could not submit to the fact that she had also told me I was destined to die, I was destined to know, and with this sword. Knowledge came to me; all I had to do was kill a few people to get it." She looked at the sword; nostalgia was blocking her eyes now. They seemed misted from memories.

"She told me this, and yet I did not listen. When I arrived here at Tartarus from my death, a year ago…I found myself awake in the belly of this evil pit. Kronos called to me and I served him, crushing anything he called upon me to do. I was the ultimate death for some, but for others their first love. I was beautiful and smart, everything they wanted, and they gave themselves to me. But Phoenix… He would not succumb easily; I almost had to force him to love me. He did eventually, but he always had a slight remembrance of a happy smile, eyes dark and vacant. You see goddess, as I'm sorry to say, what comes to Tartarus with hope…it-it must be crushed." She shook her head sadly, "This sword is my chain that I will never be able to rid myself of. As for you, you can get out. As for you son of, King Exodus," She had turned to Marcus, "Remember this: You were born to be a great warrior. Do not take vengeance on your god." She wiped away a tear.

"So now you know who I am. I am Anastasia, crusher of dreams, knower of all knowledge, and daughter of the Titan Kronos. I am not proud nor am I ashamed." She stood with a certain dignity, a certain pride even though she claimed she had none. I envied it. I envied her stride, her walk full of confidence. She knew she owned the world, even if the world didn't know it. Her height and strong shoulders could have held the world. She was a born leader. Her will was neither of evil nor of good. It laid somewhere in between, she was a judge. She was meant to see people as they were meant to be seen. She saw the humanity. The imperfectness of it.

Percy held my hand in his own. I felt my heart pulse each and every second, growing faster. I know Percy could hear it; the blood was pounding in my ears. Tears grew in my eyes, as I thought of him, the warmth of his smile, his strong arms, his endless love to me, and it wasn't just all his looks. His anger towards the injustice of crimes, he had believed things could happen for a reason. He was my hero, taken his own life for me, and laid down his head in the blade. He was perfect. I was only a hill compared to the mountain he had been. He had chosen me, a girl who didn't deserve him at all, to be his… I missed him so gods damn much.

A shout interrupted my morose thoughts. Percy's knuckles were bending white and his eyes flashed with hate. I looked to the figure standing in the tent, Kronos, as much as a body as he could bring stared at Percy. "So we meet again Perseus…" Annabeth clasped Percy's arm to hold him back, but her own anger shown in her face. Annabeth had a way of keeping it subtle and understated. Percy tore from our grasps, but he didn't run at him, instead a sheer bolt of power erupted and the ground started to shake beneath us. I yelped and Marcus took hold of me.

"You. Will. Never. Speak. To. Me. Again." Percy's hand reached and the Earth seemed to bend to his will. It cracked down the middle and water burst from within it. The water was black, containing a tint of blood in it, but I ignored it. Kronos' empty face lifted upward,

"You have grown. Made acquaintances with the lovely, daughter of Athena, and it seems to me captured the heart of the goddess. Well son of Poseidon, I mistook you." Annabeth had silent tears coming from her eyes.

"You killed him…" She managed to gulp out, "Why? Why would you do that to him?" She had ground louder with each word, now her voice echoed through the deadened battlefield.

"_He _killed himself. If it wasn't for that damn weak-spot, I would be in your position, demigod."

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TALK TO HER LIKE THAT AGAIN!" Percy had drawn Riptide. The sword shimmered with power, it had looked as angry as its master. "I'll kill you, Kronos. I'll keep killing you, until one day you collapse. Don't. Ever. Talk. To. Her. That. Way. Again." I grabbed his shoulder, it tensed at the move.

"Percy," I whispered into his ear, "Listen to me, this is what he wants. He wants you to attack, don't give him the satisfaction." Percy gave a long sigh, and dropped his sword. Kronos smiled with a sick look to him. His teeth were rotted and broken; I breathed in, and closed my eyes. Thinking of Pearl and Phoenix, let go my hatred for the Titan, and curled my hands into fists. "We're finished here." Kronos laughed and his robe swirled as he went back into his tent.

I turned and walked towards blood-filled field, there was no survivor. Not even those alive were truly whole. Something stopped me, as I walked on. A grip so passionate, I turned. Anastasia's eyes were brimmed with tears, "May I see her? Please?" I gave her a solemn nod. Dace stepped forward and Faye got off of him. Anastasia ran to her and picked her up, Faye grasped around her sister's strong neck. The older girl had started to cry. I saw the pure goodness of her; with Faye she had something to be good for. The sisters' hair was intertwined together, looking like a sheer mass of gold and silver streams.

Clouds over the horizon filled the air with a chill. I stared at them and realized something. Maybe some people did bring the best out each other. Anastasia had never known anything other then evil, bitterness, and hate. Faye so full of good, light, and purity, had brought out the goodness of her. I smiled despite my solemn trance. I turned around and to leave, Faye would be happy if her sister was by her side.

We were almost across the battlefield when, yet again Anastasia stopped me. "Camaron Gardens. Don't ask, just learn to know them." Then she was gone. I felt a fierce wind and when I looked once more, I was standing above the pit of Tartarus. My knees wobbled and I collapsed onto the hard ground, and everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm letting you know that I have a new story, The Forbidden Hero, check it out! Well it's the moment you all have been waiting for! You'll see what I mean. MERRY CHRISTMAS! **

When the first signs of light entered my vision, my eyelids flickered with movement. I heard voices, my brain was fuzzy, I couldn't remember an important detail. I had to. I had to remember it! It depended on the life of someone. Who? Who was it! A flickering flame held it, but it was as if I couldn't feel my brain connect two points together.

"She has to get up. Tartarus will grab her mind, if she doesn't." Annabeth's voice was desperate and informative. I could picture her face, lines of concern and knowledge creased into her forehead. Those calculating grey eyes looking through all of her information, trying to figure the problem out with one go.

"She'll make it through, she has to, that jackass will feel my thunder if he lays one hand on her." That was Percy's. The bitterness of the pit was getting to all of us. Whether we could help or not, it was bound to happen. "Uhh… Annabeth." Percy started, Dace let out a growl.

"Percy quiet, I'm thinking!"

"Well, hurry up, cause' uh, I hate to ruin your parade but I-uh. We got trouble. With a capital, 'T.'" The sound of bronze hitting the rocky Earth we were on, echoed through the large cavern. "Oh my gods! Annabeth!" His voice filled my brain, and some two million year old instinct snapped inside of me. I was on my feet, Trio in hand, and my eyes set dead ahead. "Penelope!" Dace's growls were horrifying, but he was baring his teeth. Something was seriously wrong. Then we saw it. Like a deep, horrid cloud of smoke the monster rose. It was in the form of a huge, black crow. Brightly colored red eyes looked at us.

I heard the sound of metal coming out of sheaths, knives came from pockets, and powers were lit. They were ready, was I? The crow landed at my feet, a large, sharp beak sprang from its head. "Crows of Dauntly! Watch out for their beaks! Oh yeah, don't look at their eyes too long, they sorta will burn you to pieces." Annabeth rang out. Great.

Trio and I lunged at the neck of the monster. It was my first and always attack move. Percy came up from behind, snapping a feather from its tail. It wailed in agony and a thick-black tinted color poured from the wound. The crow squawked and flew upwards into the sky. "Oh shit! Guys don't let it poop on you either!" Annabeth cried.

"What the Underworld? Don't let it poop on us? Seriously Annabeth!" Percy yelled out.

"Yes! Percy throw Riptide at its leg. It's a prime shot, in five, four…" Annabeth kept counting, Percy waited till she called time and flew Riptide through the air, the agility the boy had was incredible. I grew wings, wide and feathery like a bird, I soared into the black air of the Underworld. The monster cried, it sounded an awful lot like a laugh. The sword lashed off one of the crow's legs. It struggled to regain balance. I grabbed its wing's, and mustering all godly strength that I had, hurled it at my friends.

They hadn't needed me to do it. That moment a hurling sword came into view. It struck the monster, straight through halves of its body. Dust crumpled down to the ground. Marcus not even breathless held the sword with Dauntly Crow dust on it. His face showed nothing of triumphant or victory, but unlike Marcus he had a bitter look on his face. I flew down, landing right in front of him.

A single squawk filled the air. "Incoming!" Dace barked. I saw them, a mass of black, smoky birds. They swooped down; their glimmering, sharp beaks looked like daggers. Percy killed two with one swipe of Riptide; Annabeth slapped her invisibility cap on, and stabbed one. Soon we were all surrounded with piles of disintegrated bird. I made the mistake of letting my guard down, sharp talons dug into my back. "Ah…" I made a desperate attempt to kill it with Trio, but all strength had left me. I dropped the sword as I was lifted into the black air.

Black spots danced in front of my vision. "Penelope! Oh my gods…" Someone shouted to me, but I ignored it. I slipped a toenail from the great talon, the bird screamed in pain. Golden blood had started to leak from the sharp cuts the bird placed in my skin. I cried out in pain as it scourged me harder. Percy threw Riptide but missed, his frustration and urgency blocked his aim. Annabeth, for once, was clueless as to kill it. Then in the bleak moment, Marcus threw his sword with one quick motion. The sword cut through the bird like new fallen snow, and it exploded into a pile of dust. Then I was falling, with effort I grew my wings and coasted down to the cliff ridge.

I felt myself collapse onto the pavement. Percy gave me a hand, and brought me into him. "Oh gods Penelope. You freakin' scared us there." I was embarrassed. I was more powerful then that. Tartarus was doing things to my powers. I could feel it. It suffocated me harder each time I breathed. I had to get out. I looked at Marcus over Percy's shoulder, but he wasn't even looking at me. Instead his face was molded into an icy trance. I tried to meet his eyes, but he wouldn't even look at me.

With reluctance, Percy released me. I smiled gratefully at him, I looked at my wounds. Six perfectly lined spots of blood dripped from my shoulders. They weren't deep, but they stung. "We have to get you out of here Penelope; it's like a fish trying to breathe in air for you." I nodded, Annabeth was right. Percy grabbed up my hand, but I shrugged it off.

"I will live, dear friend." I turned to Marcus, but he did not look at me still. We walked boldly up the hill through Hades' palace; the Lord of Death didn't appear to be home today. We walked through Persephone's garden. Then it struck me. Camaron Gardens. I stumbled over a fallen pomegranate; Percy grabbed me around the waist. "Are you alright, Pen?" I nodded.

"I know where to find him." All eyes came to me. Annabeth's cool grey eyes held my own. "Camaron Gardens." Her grey eyes widened, she shook her head desperately.

"No…Penelope, not there. Not there…" Tears filled her eyes. "It's death… Even for gods." I frowned. A feeling of dread filled my stomach, like the pit of Tartarus, I could feel my own despair setting in.

"Why?" She didn't get the chance to finish. A loud booming sound echoed across Asphodel Fields. _We have to leave, Penelope. We're not wanted here, no longer. The Underworld does not like the living._ Dace spoke into my mind.I looked to Percy and Annabeth, both of them looked a little paler then usual. We did have to get out of here. I grabbed Percy and Annabeth's hands. "Hang onto me." I grew my wings, and turned to Dace. "Carry Marcus, you know where to meet me." He barked in agreement. Then I was off, like an eagle, I soared across the blackness of the deathly world.

Light poured from a hole at the end of the deathly conclave. I soared through, as a golden, flaming ball of dog rushed under us. We burst out a large hole, from the street in New York City. Construction workers backed up, as we flew from the sewer hole. I sped across the glimmering city, always awake and alive. Camp Half Blood rose out like a small village below us. I swooped down, "Hang on," I yelled above the rushing wind. I picked up the pace, soon straight over Camp Half Blood Hill. I gently set my friends down and turned to see, Dace right next to me.

"Well, I'm not going to lie, and say that was fun." Annabeth said distastefully, pulling a bird feather from her hair. Percy laughed, "It was awesome, Pen!" He high-fived me, I met his eyes. Happiness spewed from them. I couldn't help but smile too.

"Come on, Dace and Marcus are already half-way down the hill." Annabeth started down the hill, and Percy and I ran after her.

The camp was all talk of what we had endured. Everyone had their own version of the pit of Tartarus. It's all black you can't even see your own hands. Monsters crawl out of the ground, grab for your feet as you walk. There are even gods down there, who made stupid mistakes. Or there was the, 'I heard Penelope, came this close to dieing. Then Marcus saved her life, with his own blood and made out with her.' 'Well I heard, she saved _his _life, and he made out with her.' WELL PERSONALLY, PENELOPE WASN'T TOO HAPPY WHEN SHE HEARD THAT! Seriously, I'm not Aphrodite. I don't make out with boys, left to right. The only boy I had had been… You know who he was.

Chiron welcomed us back with warmness, which he always had. Mr. D was, unfortunately, gone that day. Percy, Annabeth, Marcus, Dace, and I told Chiron our journey within the hour. He sat there with a placid face, his hands folded against his face, and his eyes stared intently at us. When we had finished, Chiron sighed and looked straight at me. "Are you willing to kill your own flesh?" I paused, I hated Levus. But then again, he was my brother. I must have been making a pensive face, because sweet Percy patted my shoulder.

"I'm willing to Chiron." He gave me a grave face. The old horseman nodded, his face was a mask. I tried to meet them, but he would not look at me. The clock struck in his office, showing it was almost midnight.

"Very well then, you are dismissed. Penelope, I ask you stay here." My friends left, Dace bounded off after Percy with a happy face. Most likely thinking of, Mrs. O'Leary. When they had gone, and silence had settled over the two of us, Chiron looked up at me. "Kronos told you his weakness?"

"Yes sir, he told me, he has no weakness whatsoever in physique. His mentality is lacking though. He will never give one hundred percent in battle, if I give everything I have at facing him, I might have a chance at defeating him. It is unlikely that gold will kill him."

"Gold will not even scratch him, I'm afraid to say, my dear. Though, if he does not give everything mentally and physically in battle, you may have your shot there." Chiron seemed to be holding something from me, as if he knew I would ask something. "Did you meet Anastasia?"

I nodded gravely, "I did indeed, Chiron. She seems to behold knowledge of the world. I'm personally envious of her; she can carry the world on her shoulders, with no signs of weakness." He smiled at that.

"She does have the knowledge of the world. She had slit the throats of many Grecian kings to obtain the Stone of Knowledge. But she is truly a born leader. Apollo prophesized a great future ahead of her, but she was mislead. Oh, how I tried to help the poor child. She couldn't, often, see the things right in front of her. I reached out to her, so did many of the other demigods here. Many of the softer ones, mind you, but she didn't see it." His eyes were on mine, but they weren't seeing me. They saw Anastasia, a poor, ignorant demigod.

"She needs help, Chiron. She's torn between good and evil, but she's forced to do her father's evil work. She…she crushed…" Tears welled in my eyes, a large lump extracted itself in my throat, "she…she crushed Phoenix's soul." A sob was released from me, without my willing. Then it hit me. Everything. Saying his name wrecked my poise, wrecked my spirit. Grief once more came back to me.

Tears streamed down both of my cheeks. I tried helplessly to clear them, but I couldn't. I would wipe some away, but more would flood to my eyes. "Sweet child, do not be sad." I looked at Chiron, his warm brown eyes held so much love and concern in them.

"I miss him, Chiron. I could never thank you enough, for-for saving me from myself last year." He smiled.

"The pleasure is all mine, child." My heart beat heavily, as we talked on. I couldn't stop thinking of him. I vowed to myself to never to think of him. I would not. I _could _not. If I did, I would wreck not only myself, but the lives of the people who depended on me. I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat. I forgot the tears, looked up at Chiron. As I did, grief fell away, and I had forgotten him. He was a breeze on a hot day, gone forever. I had to except it.

"Chiron…Back in the eye of Tartarus, Anastasia told me of a garden. Camaron Gardens, I wanted to know what you knew of it. She said I might find something there. I might find the body of lord of the flame." I addressed him formally, so as if conversationally. Chiron's eyes widened, he rubbed his face with a hand. His oldness shown in the light of the quiet fire, no one really knew how old Chiron was. But it was moments like this that truly, made him look old.

"I knew this day would come." He began to pace. His hooves clacking in a _tap_-_tap_ pattern, they clicked on the soft wood of the floor. "I just didn't expect it so soon… Alright Penelope, what I am about to tell you, you must tell to no one. Do you understand me?" I nodded, Chiron's face was dead serious, all lines and wrinkles were taut and tight. "Tell me the history of the universe." I looked at him oddly, but did as he asked.

"Well Gaia created Earth, seeing it was barren, she called upon her mate. Then the Titans were born, creating plants, animals, water, people, and everything else on our Earth. The Titans gave birth to children, mostly Kronos, these children were called gods. You know the story of Rhea, tricking Kronos into swallowing a rock, instead of baby Zeus. Right? Okay well, Zeus gave this poison to Kronos, causing him to spit up all of his other children. As soon as that happened there was war, and everything was at peace after that. That's all I know."

Chiron nodded, "That was all right, except at the beginning. I asked the universe, not the Earth. You see, Penelope, we don't know what came before Gaia, do we?" I shook my head,

"No sir, we don't."

"There is an ancient theory, only a handful of people know. It is older then time itself, it only has one piece of evidence to regard it. But yet, it is still the closest things we have to a real beginning. There was an era, we think, of the Ancients. They were gods, just like your mother and father. But they are as old as time. I have only ever discovered a mention of one; she is misconstrued as the leader, Encara." I furrowed my brow,

"But how would have they come to be?"

"Like I said, Penelope, I don't know. They might as well just appeared out of air. Encara is mentioned as Queen of Life. In an ancient book I have, it mentions her in a prophecy. An old demigod, I trained had to find her. They never succeeded, but I truly believe that this is a sign."

"But Chiron, what does this have to do with the Camaron Gardens?" He paused,

"The Ancients, they-they built many things. Many of us will never even live to find them, but the Camaron Gardens. They are like the Garden of Eden, spoken of in the Catholic Bible. It is only reachable with Ancient blood, without it…well you burn to dust instantly. I must warn you, my dear; it is a dangerous route to try to find them. It is forbidden, Lord Hades will take a god's life for the even mention of it. I think he likes you though, for you're his niece."

"I-I don't know what to say… Is it at all possible?" He looked down,

"Do you believe that he is alive, Penelope? Because if he were not…you yourself would be gone."

"What do you mean Chiron?" I looked at the pure enigma of his face.

"I did not believe in it for the longest time, the gods always told me it was true. I couldn't see it, for they cheated, held incestual relationships, and never gave a damn about anyone but themselves. But now I have stumbled upon you, and I now know it is. Penelope, Phoenix and you hold a piece of each other inside. You are the term, "soul mates." It has only happened once in history, between two demigods." I closed my eyes and breathed,

"I cannot believe it, Chiron. I swore to myself he is dead, but if I must bury him, I will. If the Camaron Gardens is where I will find his body that is where I will go. Thank you for the information." Chiron opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it.

"Very well, I'm sorry to burden you." He looked angry, I would be too. But I was angry myself; I was hurt, and feeling very empty inside. I walked out of the Big House. The night air was nippy; fall seemed to be touching down like a hand to the Earth. The harpies regarded me with respect as they passed; I guess I wasn't a demigod, so I didn't matter to them. I walked through the sleeping camp, my hands in my jean short's pockets.

I walked to the beach. I felt somewhat arrogant, mean, and cruel. Fire seemed to be running a course my veins. The moon lit the midnight blue water with a silvery light. It seemed Anastasia's eyes flickered at me, they held their evil, ominous flow as they always did. A figure stood by the water, I recognized him immediately. Marcus.

He was turned away from me. His hands behind his back, his sword wound around his waist, like it were made to be there. It was a part of him. A living, breathing part of him. His strong arms hung out from under him white T-shirt. I walked to him, as I spoke his name he ignored me. His blue eyes were frozen, ice in the ocean refusing to thaw.

"Marcus!" My voice was full of command, it echoed across the camp. He turned to look at me. Inside his eyes held pain, through the ice I saw he bled. "What's wrong?"

"I…Nothing is wrong dear maiden." His voice was full of pain, tight and wanted nothing more but to burst.

"I read you like a book, my dear Marcus. What is wrong? I say to you again." My voice was full of gentleness; I gave him the utmost gentlest touch on the cheek. His eyes filled with so much yearning, but he quickly turned away. His breathing was hard and labored.

"I love you. That is the problem. You love that…that god. You will never love me as you do him." I stepped toward him.

"I'm done with my grieving Marcus." I slipped my arms around his neck, and he in turn slipped his own around my waist. His face pressed close to mine, so I felt his breath upon my lips. I quickly closed the distance he was afraid to close himself. When our lips met, something so intense, yet so tender burned within me. I knew he felt it too, passion was shared between us. He gave me all his love in that one moment. I felt so close, so protected, and loved. Phoenix had been so gentle with me, but Marcus filled me with fire. He filled me with sprightly feelings. His mouth against mine was a drug.

All too soon, he pulled away. I wanted more, I leapt up for him again, but he smiled. Marcus gently took me in his arms, into an embrace. "Don't worry my dove. Soon." I smiled, and placed a simple kiss on his scruffy cheek. He smoothed my kinky hair, it traveled down his arms, and he twirled it around his finger. "I will see you in the morning." He whispered into my ear, I nodded against his neck. My heart swelled as he left. I wanted to run after him, but I just stared after his tall figure. Once he was gone, I realized what I had done. I had shared my love with someone else. Someone that was not Phoenix, I tried to feel some guilt. Some sort of decent respect. But there was none.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone had a good Christmas, I know I did. 3DS! Yup and BOOKS! A writer's blood Anyway, I also got a new computer so yay! Enjoy! **

Down, roll, cross, parry, and strike. Down, roll, cross, parry, and strike. The cycle continued for hours it seemed, I watch Arion battle with instinct. His amazing blade skills set him apart from the other Athena children. His anger shows in his grey eyes, they storm like a hurricane. Ever hateful and vengeful, he held such a hate in his eyes when he sword played, it was scary. He had cut his dreads so they were short, and the blond was almost bleached from the late summer sun. All that remained of his usual quiet, caring personality when he was fighting, was his golden chain around his neck.

Ignia, my friend and Arion's girlfriend, had given it to him when they had officially begun to "court", as Arion would say, Ignia had given it to him. Arion loved Ignia more than anything; he loved her more than his own life. If he had to lie down his own blood for Ignia, he truly would. I believe the red-haired girl would do the same for him.

When Arion had Will lowered to the ground at sword point. They boys began to laugh, and the warm and caring expression came back into Arion's eyes. Will Solace struggled up from the dirt, Arion gave him a hand up. "What is that, two out of a hundred?"

"More like a lot to a little." Arion said in laughter. Will smiled and Arion slapped him on the back. I realized how much I missed it, Camp Half Blood. It had been my home for such a short time, when I was a demi-_goddess_. This is it, what I missed, this is what I wished I was. Marcus came and sat next to me, I placed my head on his shoulder. He kissed my hair with fervor. He seemed at ease lately, when I had asked him he told me it was because of me.

"Me?" I had asked him. He smiled, his eyes gleamed with happiness.

"Yes my lady, you. If it weren't for you Penelope, I'd still be wandering this Earth in bitter trances." I smiled at this and went into his arms.

Now we sat in almost the exact same position. I couldn't find solace in our relationship. I felt that I was guilty, cheating, filthy, and deep down I knew I was. I couldn't help but remember Chiron's words. Phoenix and I were soul mates, I wouldn't accept it. Marcus and I were starting to draw closer, and who knows? We may someday become more then what we are. Percy stepped down and the two boys began to fight, both with incredible skill in the art of sword wielding, held their ground. Percy was almost a head shorter then Arion, but he seemed not to be threatened by this. His green eyes locked on Arion's grey ones and the battle raged.

I sat up with apprehension. The arena held its breath as Percy and Arion fought. Sweat streamed from both of their T-shirts, drenching them to core with sweat. We thought at once Percy would crumble to Arion's fighting, but it went on for the hour. Till finally Arion slipped and Percy stumbled in his own sweat. The boys laughed and helped each other up.

Ignia had been at an archery class, and had come to watch Arion. She ran out in the middle of the arena and chided him for his childish behavior. In return Arion bent down and hugged her, sweat and all. Ignia squirmed but she was delighted to see him. I watched in a silent dismay. What they shared couldn't be made up or bought.

Marcus grasped my hand, I looked up at him. With one look of my face he knew something was wrong. He pulled me out of the arena, taking me into a tender embrace. "What's wrong my sweet?" I shook my head, embarrassed as hot tears formed in my eyes. He grasped me so tightly; he brought me out of my bitter mood. I was jealous. Arion had always loved Ignia, and they had finally gotten forever to be together. The one boy that I had ever given my love to was ripped away. I didn't understand it.

Marcus tried to lighten me. He humored me to an extent, but I was too upset. I had vowed to not think of Phoenix, yet here I was. Thinking about him, I missed him more than anything. Marcus hugging me, giving me endearments, it was amazing. Marcus spoiled me, giving me all the love and attention I could ever want. Something was twisting inside of me; it was starting to grow estranged and tangled.

How could such a thing like Ignia hugging Arion, bring me so much hate? I loved the both of them, but I envied Ignia. It wasn't because I liked Arion in that way, I didn't. Arion was handsome, "hot" even as some would say, but he wasn't for me. I was angered because this twisted thing inside of me was screaming at me for being wrong. I tried to put it aside, I wanted to for Marcus's sake.

"Penelope," He spoke to me, his blue eyes dug into my soul. He held me there; all of a sudden I was stilled. Like a wild stallion tamed by a gentle touch, "Listen to me. You're sad; all you have to do is lean into me." I nodded and hugged him, he touched my hair with the utmost gentleness, but I tensed. "Penelope." His voice was laced hoarsely with pain and love. Then I did it, it broke. Tears streamed openly down my cheeks, leaning against Marcus's strong chest, I balled me eyes out.

I thought with snot pouring down my face, Marcus would find it unattractive. He didn't, instead he held me like I was a doll. Cradling me like a babe, he whispered sweet, soothing words to me. I held against him, occasionally stopping to wipe my nose. I clung to him for dear life, but Marcus didn't mind. He held me like a guardian, like a loving protector, he was exactly as he stayed. The thing that soothed my haunting sobs was the one thing so soft to hear, but so strong. Marcus's heartbeat. It was steady, strong, and lulled my thoughts into a jumbled mess of only love for him. Eventually, I soon just held to him. He softly released me, kissed the tears from my cheeks, and pushed the hairs away from my face.

"M-Marcus, w-without you…I do-don't know what'd I'd do." I gulped out on a shaky breath. He smiled, it barely touched his eyes. I smiled back; he cupped my face in his hands.

"This face is my whole world. Everything I value is right here." He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Keeping that smile on your face, that's all that matters to me. If I'm hurt in the process, I don't care. All that matters to me is you, Penelope." He kissed me full on the lips; it was filled with desperation and love. I felt myself move into him, let his lips lie on mine. He moved his head from mine and looked down at me. His eyes were so blue and deep. They held anger, bitterness, but in the middle of all that was his love for me. "Come on, I want to show you something." He smiled at me and took my hand.

He led me to the edge of Camp Half Blood, where a small rocky cliff overlooked the ocean. It overlooked the New York skyline, "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He looked down at me,

"Yes you are." I smiled up at him.

"The sea it seems has a place in its heart for me. I met Percy by the sea, I held many battles at sea, I kissed Phoenix by the sea, I found you by the sea at Camp GreyStone, and we kissed at beach in Camp Half Blood. It seems everything I am given, all that I love gets taken away from me, Marcus. I don't want to lose you, like everything else. I don't want you to love me; I'm scared you'll get ripped from me so brutally like Phoenix was. You would lay down your life for me, wouldn't you?" He took me in his arms,

"Of course I would." I pressed both my hands against his breasts.

"I just worry; I have so much to worry for. I can't help but worry about you." It was true what I said, I wanted desperately to bury Phoenix, figure out the puzzle of the Camaron Gardens, defeat Levus, and save Pearl all at the same time. Would I ever be able to relieve myself of the stress? Of the world upon my shoulders? Phoenix had been my life, he was gone. I was empty and hollowed without him; I hoped another part of me would not be taken.

"My dear, look at you. You hardly eat anymore, you're tired, you worry, and on top of that you care too much for the world. You cause me worry by that, I wanted to tell you a part of my life. Maybe it will cause you to hate me, but I want to share it with you. I would not share it with anyone else in my life besides you." He sat down and leaned against a firm oak tree, turning his head to look at the distant skyline. I sat down next to him, taking his hands in my own.

"I will hear it with all of my heart." I gave him my word, and Marcus gave no confrontation as to when he would start his story. For a long time it seemed, we sat and held hands. Then Marcus finally sighed. When he spoke his eyes were mystified.

"What I tell you now Penelope, has never been spoken of aloud. I was born in a small kingdom in Greece, ancient Greece, mind you. Its name I could never reveal to you, it brings too much grief upon my soul. As I grew there, I learned fighting methods that no boy in my village could ever master. By the time I was five, I could wield a sword better than a grown man. Knives were just as simple, nothing really was to them but force and thought.

"My family was royalty, my father a great king. Though since my mother had died giving birth to me, he never loved me as much of the other children. No, of course he loved me, but it was restricted. He had loved my mother very much, more than anything. He thought of me responsible for her death, he was righteous and just but his love for my mother mastered that.

"When I was nineteen in the spring, a horrible scream echoed across the kingdom. It was my sister's, when I found her a sword was sliced across her neck and the same for my father. My family had been slaughtered, Nevleon a young man then held up a sword in the light. He was about to kill me with it, a fine long golden one if I recall. My sword lashed out and broke his strike; he looked at me with interest. Nevleon apologized for almost slaying me, I was beyond speech. My anger was turning into cold fury.

"He took me to Zeus and told the great god, I deserved a place on the mirawi. Zeus accepted me almost immediately when he saw my fighting skills. Nevleon fought along my side, treating me like his own son. I grew to love him, yes, but in the same sense I hated his trust in me. I hated him with the utmost passion, the fact that Zeus had killed my family, and that Nevleon had slain my innocent father… I hated him. I hated the gods, you of course, my love, are set apart. They were all in vain, all full of themselves. Zeus treated every fallen warrior with respect, but we were just powerful humans, if he truly wanted to Zeus could have killed us.

"I was sick to my core of it. I wasn't a normal mirawi, there was a reason why King Exodus, my father, was a king. His blood was laced of that with Apollo and another powerful goddess. He was much like you, though he did not get the rise to power like he should've had. Zeus gave him a throne on Earth, but nothing more. My father deserved every right to have a throne upon Olympus, and Zeus gave him nothing. So you see, my blood is also laced with that of the gods. I truly am just a demigod. Nothing more, nothing less. My dear, I have grown to hate, but you being beside me, it almost takes that away." He looked at me with so much love then, I knew it was true. He pulled me into his lap then, kissing my cheek. I placed my head against his chest,

"Marcus you give me too much favor." He smiled and brought me closer to him.

"You put me at ease with those great green eyes." 


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Well, guess who the smartest writer is? Me! Because I totally just have been spelling one of my character's names wrong. Marcus's name is actually spelled Markus, but I'll just use the spelling I am now, I don't want to confuse anybody. **

The dawn broke over camp with the colors of red, orange, and pink. I opened my eyes feeling the cold space beside me. Marcus was gone. I sat up and sighed. Marcus always left. I tossed the covers off of my legs, wincing as my sore muscles screamed from yesterday's archery class. I carefully balanced my weight onto my two feet. Despite the end of summer morning, the New York air was filled with chilliness.

Walking into the bathroom I looked down at the sink and brushed my teeth. Now, if you've ever watched a horror movie, when the innocent girl looks up and sees a demon in the mirror behind her, well that's what happened to me. A gory, blood crazed appousa stared at me. Her glowing red eyes locked with mine, "What do _you _want?" I growled at her. The demon smiled, her lips curling into a beautiful, evil grin.

"You walk on dangerous ground. Your days my goddess, are numbered." In a column of flame she was gone. I felt myself start to shake. Her voice was filled with deep, poison and hatefulness. It was scratchy and rumbling, almost like distant thunder. My heart started to pound like a drum, my breath came out in quick, urgent breaths. Her voice kept echoing in my mind, _"Your days my goddess, are numbered." _I felt a sense of foreboding sink into my bones, washing me down to the core in fear.

It felt like forever when I blinked and moved my stiff legs to the door. I had to get out of here. I had to get out of the house; it felt like it was enclosing me in its walls. I couldn't breathe or think straight. I ran out of the house, stumbling to the soft, dewy grass. Campers who had suitcases, leaving camp looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe partially I was. I ran to find anyone who would comfort me. I found Marcus standing under an apple tree; he held an apple in one hand tossing it up in the air. He looked melancholy with a thoughtful expression upon his brooding face. He stared off at the distant New York skyline; his brown curls were crazed and softly drifting around his face. I forgot sometimes how beautiful, Marcus truly was.

"Marcus!" I screeched, he heard the alarm in my voice and within a second he was at my side. He held me to his chest,

"What is love?" His blue eyes met mine with so much compassion and love; I felt no fear no longer.

"I-I, an appousa came and told me-I, my days are numbered. I'm going to die Marcus!" I started to shake, but Marcus stopped me by gently stroking my hair.

"Shh, Penelope stop it. _Look at me_." It had been one of Phoenix's phrases; whenever I looked at him everything made sense to me. If I was lost one look into his dark blue eyes, and I would be shushed like a crying babe. "Penelope I was raised to protect people, I was raised to fight. No demon, mortal, or god will ever lay hand on you while I live. If it is my destiny to die while saving you, then so be it." I laid my head against his chest, feeling reassured I nodded.

"It feels like my death sentence. It feels like _your_ death sentence." I looked up into Marcus's strong and gentle eyes.

"Why? All men must die, Penelope. If not now for me, then it will come one day. Even the gods themselves will face a day of their death."

"That's a horrible thought to possess; I don't know why one would."

"It may be, but it will happen my love."

"Why are you okay with that Marcus?" I backed away from him; the thought of dying once more drove a horrible knife through an unhealed wound. He gave me a smile,

"Because nothing is worse than losing you. If death is what it must be, then losing you is like the fires of hell." My heart filled with love for him, and I leapt into his arms. Our lips met and I gave him my heart. I knew then, I would never forget his words of protection. Marcus would protect me till his death, and that I had confidence in.

When I finally drew away, the horn sounded for breakfast. I smiled at him, and we parted. I was off to the stables; I had busied myself with training a new colt. He was only a year old; he didn't know his own strengths. But he filled me with utter joy, because of his free spirit. The Aphrodite children had not even given him a name yet. I had taken to calling him, Farson.

The stallion was in rare form today, he hoofed the ground with an excited manner. I opened the stall gate, running my hands over his fine body. Everywhere my hands touched, his muscle tensed. His pure black coat was shining in the dim light of the stables; his ice-blue eyes were filled with pure fury and unsteadiness. I slipped a halter over his face, clipping a lead rope to his halter. Farson stepped with an eager step; it was full of grace and elegance. He came to me and followed me into the corral. I unleashed the lead and sent him away, he sprinted around the corral. Every muscle under his shear black coat rippled under it. He was a beautiful pegasus.

It truly was a pleasure to watch Farson run. Every nerve in his body told his massive, feathery black wings to fly. Though I denied him the privilege, he wanted to soar so badly. He swiftly drifted over the sand of the corral, I sped him into a canter. His stride so wide and fine, it was amazing to watch. Breathtaking. Daughters of Aphrodite came and watched Farson run. He lifted up his wings, stretching them out into the morning sun. He shined brightly like a fallen angel.

His parents were the finest in the stable, Blackjack and Kelmby. A pure white Pegasus, with wings of gold. Farson was made for battle, but it was unknown when the battle would strike. I truly wished with my whole heart, his rider would be someone to respect him. A light flashed behind me, distracting me completely from Farson. A pretty girl with a flowing, white dress bowed to me.

"My goddess, Penelope, my lord Apollo requests your presence." I nodded and handed the training whip to Kathrine. A blond haired daughter of Aphrodite. I followed after the tiny angel, leaping over the fence of the corral and followed her up a grassy hill. Apollo stood with his back to me; his glimmering blond hair was pulled into a ponytail. Short strands of white-blond hair escaped from it and quivered in the breeze. I walked up next to him. His hands were clasped behind his back, eyes staring at the harbor.

"Penelope," He acknowledged me with no look of kindness or charm, as he used to do.

"My lord, Apollo." He turned to me, and to my surprise anger burned within his dark blue eyes. They were Phoenix's, so intense and loud. So very beautiful and dangerously dark.

"You used to value him, what happened?" He was angry at me. His fierce blue eyes seemed to focus on seeing into my soul.

"Apollo, if you are referring to Phoenix, I still value him with so much love."

"Have you forgotten the promise he made to _you_?" I stared at him.

"My lord?" I ran through every memory I had ever shared with Phoenix. I desperately wanted to know what he spoke of, the promise. What promise had he made? Apollo had so much hate in his eyes.

"You don't remember!" He snapped at me. I felt hot tears rise to the rims of my eyes, they brimmed over. His expression softened, and he wiped away a tear of his own. "He promised to protect you forever, to never hurt you. At your coronation." I sank to my knees, sobbing into my hands. I had completely forgotten Phoenix's vow to me, it had been right after my first kiss with him, with anyone for that matter. I was caught up in his warm arms, in his love, his heart beat next to my ear…

"Apollo, I-I love him with everything within me." He nodded, he did not speak. His mouth was a tight line.

"I only ask you Penelope, that you take up the task at hand and find him. Bring him home to me, to you, to Olympus." I stared up at him,

"My lord, I cannot follow an impossible trail to bury him."

"He is not DEAD!" Apollo cried in anguish, slamming his powerful fist to a tree. I backed in fear, bracing myself for a blow. It did not come; just a soft sob erupted from the god. I have never seen a strong man like Apollo crumble to emotion; I reached for him wanting with all my heart to comfort him.

"My lord, I saw the blade pierce his body with my own eyes. Why would I lie of something like that? The death of my own soulmate?" The words were out of my mouth before I could grasp them back, Apollo looked at me with desperate eyes. I could only sigh and nod.

"It's true, my lord. Phoenix and I are-_were_ joined by destiny. The Fates have chosen their plan, but I think sometimes it was cruel that they gave me him. Then took him away as if he is…is…nothing." I stifled a sob inside my aching chest; Apollo looked at me with concern in his eyes, took my hand, and hugged me. It was as if he was a loving father, I could never have asked for more. He pulled away and slumped against a tree, his eyes looked old. Apollo looked like he was aging. Grey was starting to leak into his golden ponytail, his once youthful skin was beginning to form wrinkles around his eyes. Phoenix's death was taxing both of us beyond our years.

"Please just bring him home…" He whispered. I nodded and took on the heavy burden that hung onto the sun god's shoulders. Determination was what it would take me to go on this quest. I had to though; I had to relieve myself and Apollo. I turned and without another word left Apollo on the grassy hill in his grief.

I came back to Farson. Kathrine was having a difficult time, trying to get him on his hooves. I grabbed the whip from her and slammed it on the ground. _Come Farson. The time has come. _I spoke into his mind, he stopped automatically. Dust rose up from his abrupt stop, he turned to me.

_Then let it be done. _I walked away and he followed, everyone's jaw dropped as the untamed colt followed in my wake. He tossed his head and his glossy mane whipped in the wind. I brought him to the stables; I was going to back him a year early. I put a saddle on his back, he unsteadily acknowledged it. I patted his neck and continued on. I set the girth around his belly. Then led him back out into the corral, I pulled myself onto the stirrup, slipping my foot through the other one. Farson hoofed at the ground with uneasiness.

Then it broke, his perfect stride came that I had seen him do many times. I squeezed into his flanks, allowing him his head; he sped into an increasingly fast speed. His long legs moved with such grace and fluency. I let him open his wings, but just as he spread them to fly, I denied it. He stopped and breathed heavy. I leaned down to whisper into his ear, "Up Farson." He sniffed the air and in one fleeting moment leaped into the morning sky.


	11. Chapter 11

Farson was too wild for his own spirit. His body wanted to do one thing, his mind another. His movements were powerful, they held so much balance and grace it was amazing. I settled him into the air, easing him into a good flight pattern. His unsteadiness was unsettling for my sake. His legs pounded into the air, each and every muscle straining against my hold. I pulled back his head, denying him the right. He neighed in disgust. I shushed him and began the descent down.

His glide wasn't quite right like he sensed something. I patted his neck reassuringly, but he did not sway. As I landed dark clouds settled over Camp Half Blood, everyone was gone. It seemed empty and hollow; when I had first come to Camp Half Blood it had been abandoned. Now it felt empty, and lonesome. I jumped down from Farson, he followed behind me. I walked to the Big House, something unsure was settling into my blood.

"Chiron!" I shouted, it echoed through the empty camp. A shiver ran through my spine. My heart started to pound in urgent panic. I heard a muffled sound at the far end of the camp, my ears picking up the trail of a voice. I sprinted towards it, my heart in my throat. Everything was screaming within me to find it. I heard it grow louder; I knew who the voice was deep within me before it even happened.

"Where is she Chiron? Tell me where she is and no one gets hurt." He spoke with the utmost arrogance and mightiness. He thought of himself a king. My brother stood before the few campers left and Chiron. His long cascading sleek hair was dimly bright from the dark sky. He was dressed for war, a shield clasped to his arm, and a bronze sword on his side. I growled deep in my throat.

"We will never reveal her." Annabeth spoke boldly, I screamed out and the Earth shuddered under my anger. A sense of unleashed wildness slunk towards them, it sent shivers down the spines of the campers, Chiron's grimace deepened, and Levus smiled.

"YOU!" I screamed at him, "LET THEM GO!" He laughed and I realized it gave him satisfaction to see me angry. "Levus release them, it is me you want." He nodded but didn't relent on his guards.

"Come my dear sister, we'll discuss matters in a more private place." I swallowed my fear and followed after him. Marcus stood nearby, he watched me with wary eyes. I smiled at him, giving him as much reassurance as I could muster. I clenched my fists as Levus stopped, biting into my lip. He didn't scare me I realized, but filled me with hate. "So a little liar tells me you're going off to the Camaron Gardens. The place of the Ancients." I crossed my arms,

"Why does it matter to you?" He smiled, his dark green eyes lightened at my anger.

"Because you don't know what you're getting yourself into. You see, those who seek the Ancients are punished by death." My heart skipped a beat; the apousa's face appeared in my head. I shook it away quickly. "The Lord of Death doesn't like things left in the past…well, prodded." Levus unleashed a smile.

"Well that's too bad then, isn't it? I'm going to bring back Phoenix's body and burying it, I love him too much to leave him there. You wouldn't understand since you've never loved anything." I snapped at him, a muscle in his cheek twitched upward. He stared off past me, but he spoke with amusement.

"I wouldn't say that, sister. We're not so different. You can deny that we are, but we are one in the same." I laughed, hysterical laughter struck me and I couldn't grip it.

"Are you kidding me? Levus, look at me. I'm light, you're dark. I'm good, you're evil. I don't want world domination, you do. I have an actual heart, you don't. I care for others besides myself, you don't. I like enjoying the sweet feeling of freedom, you don't. We may be of the same mother, but you are nothing close to me." He smiled at me.

"Who said I wanted world domination? You see Penelope, if I wanted world domination, well that would be easy. I'd attack at the source of power, Zeus. He'd be easy to take down, of course only a fool would strike the blade straight through him." His voice had gone dangerously soft, "I'd kill the small things first, wipe out Hera, his mirawi, and his children. _And_ then when he was too weak, I'd strike. If world domination was what I wanted, I could have you bowing in my wake. But I don't want that, I want what you want. I want the world at peace. A world where everyone knows everyone, where humans know the gods and everyone is equal. There is no power, government, just a utopia supervised by me." I raised an eyebrow.

"A utopia? A-Are you insane? Like literally do you have a mental disorder? Does anything cross your mind that t-to h-have that, there would be so much blood shed. War would strike the innocent straight through the heart. You monster! You sicken me, why would you want to have war?"

"You always assume I want something horrible, my sister. All I want is what I say, not war." He chuckled. "As for being insane, I may be a little crazy. But the only reason I come here is to ask of you a favor."

"Oh yes? And may I ask what could that _possibly _be?" Venom leaked into my words.

"Join me." Two simple words that haunted me, all laughter and jovial expression were gone from his face. The blushed color faded, only two serious dark green eyes reflected back at my own.

"Never." I whispered. He smiled, but his eyes still serious and deadly quiet.

"Very well sister." He walked off and turned to his guards snapping at them to come to him. I wanted to run after him and stab him through the heart with my falcata. A tight grip settled around my shoulders, I knew it was Marcus. He restrained me from doing one of the worst things I had ever done in my life. The campers, acting like being held hostage was just another normal day in Camp Half Blood. Chiron trotted away looked mad; I could tell he was upset about something. Part of me wanted to go and talk to him about Levus. But then again, I wasn't feeling up to it. I would have screamed at Chiron, most likely.

Marcus held me. His iron grip was gentle in a sense… "You think I'm going to kill him?" I seethed as I watched him disappear into the sea.

"I don't doubt you could." His dry smile was serious; I felt the tips of my lips pull up into a smile.

"I don't either." He laughed; we stood like that for a while. I don't know what we were thinking, different things maybe. I wanted Levus dead in cold blood. That was all I wanted. I shivered. I didn't kill people; it wasn't a thing for me. But Levus was making me want it, almost _too_ bad.

Finally, Marcus released me. I felt a blazing green light circle close around me. It only happened at my strongest emotions, I was enraged. The light could blind and temporarily, "dazzle." I felt my pounding heart race, "Get your things ready Marcus, we're leaving." Marcus's grim smile washed off his face, and he nodded. He knew where I meant.

We parted as I went to my room in the Big House. I grabbed Trio from her sheath on the dresser. Sliding it around my waist, I viewed myself in the mirror. I didn't look like my former powerful self; my wavy brunette hair was dull and lost its glow. Acne sprouted from my chin, my dark green eyes once held so much power and purpose, now they were sad and sorrowful. My forehead was inscribed with wrinkles of days of furrowing, frowning rather than smiling. The skin around my eyes used to crinkle when I laughed; it didn't anymore because I rarely did. I sighed, here I go again.

When I walked out of the Big House, Marcus was staring at a ring that I had never seen before on his finger. I walked to him; he didn't look up at me, but only began to toy with my ponytail. The ring was golden and some Greek wording was inscribed on it. I didn't know what it said, because even though I was a Greek goddess, I still couldn't read Greek. He smiled to himself, and then suddenly wrapped his arms around me. "I love you so much." I smiled; he said that but didn't expect me to say it back to him. I kissed his cheek, it was layered with stubble.

"Come on." He took my hand and we walked to the hill of camp. I looked back one last time, and then turned to Marcus. "So any idea where were going?" He smiled.

"I have an idea, but we have to reach it by walk, and someone else might want to join along." I looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He pointed to a girl with black flowing hair and the most beautiful sea-green eyes I'd ever seen, leaped up to us. I couldn't help myself, I flung myself around her.

"Carlina!" She laughed her deep, rich, and elegant laugh. She pulled back and smiled at me, sadness layered in her soulful green eyes.

"I've missed you, girl." I knew she knew about Pearl. A bitter feeling of guilt, that son of a bitch…well I couldn't say that, (my mother was not a bitch), I hated Levus. He was hurting and taking everything I loved. Carlina had grown from a beautiful girl to a gorgeous woman. Her black hair had begun to grow way past her spine, almost down to her butt. It settled around her shoulders like a mass of black fur. It glimmered like oil, colors of the rainbow reflecting from it. Her green eyes were the color of the sea in the summer. Every color tied into her main base of green, her lips had become fuller and looked soft.

"Marcus were you in contact with Carlina?" He smiled and kissed my head softly,

"I figured the journey would be long, and the Jackson boy I don't approve of. So, I thought of Carlina. She was a major advantage last year in the war, so, why not?" I rolled my eyes at him, but smiled.

"The 'Jackson boy,' really?" He laughed and lifted me up to his lips, kissing me softly.

"He needs a haircut." Carlina and I burst out laughing. Staring at Marcus's thick head of curls it made us both explode to laughter. Then with humor in our walks we walked down the hill. Carlina told me of Poseidon's anger and Neptune's vengeance. Her eyes changed in the sunlight as she spoke, "Poseidon is doing everything he can to get her back. Although it's hard, when well…there are only one of you and a whole world full of water waiting at your command. I help, but Neptune want's to strike straight through at Levus, so Poseidon and Neptune have their double-personality fight. That's actually quite funny to watch." She started giggling to herself as we walked along the highway. Carlina's swift footsteps soon became the only sound. Marcus grabbed my hand, clinging to it as if I was a lifeline.

I wasn't aware that a dark shadow was overhead until Carlina yelled at it to shut up. I snapped my head at her, raising both my eyebrows. "Your stupid Pegasus has some nerve." I furrowed my brow in puzzlement and looked up to where she pointed. A smile came over my face; the beautiful, sleek Farson flew overhead.

"Farson, come down here." He landed swiftly in front of me, his breathing soft and smelled like sweet hay. "The weird stuff gets to you too, huh?" He snorted hard, it sounded like a laugh. I gently stroked his silky neck, "I guess we have transportation now." Carlina cracked a smile and Marcus only gave half of one.

"I call shotgun first!" Carlina jumped on Farson, he reared but a gleam was held in his eye. "See ya from above losers!" She soared up into the air; Farson and Carlina were connected like the ocean and sand. Her graceful moments mirrored his elegant ones, if horses and people could ever be one, it was Carlina and Farson. Marcus and I continued to walk while the two of them flew above; Marcus looked like he was in his own world. Something clouded his eyes; they were glazed over with thought. His hand was warm and secure on mine, I didn't have the heart to interrupt him.

As we walked I tried to think of where to look. I went over all the mental pictures of gardens in my mind, but not one rang with the powerful flow of Camaron Gardens. I had a feeling I would never find it without some direct connect to them, so I was basically on a wild goose hunt. Great. The world stopped for a minute then, pausing in place. Then the clouds moved back in the sky and each part of history flowed past me, like a movie in rewind. Everything moved backwards, except me. Soon I saw the battle of Troy fold out in front of me, Achilles taking his sword through a man's heart, then came Perseus a beautiful maiden kissed him on the lips as he slew the Kraken. Then came the birth of Zeus, a beautiful baby with a golden lightning bolt held in his hand. Pressing blue eyes vowed for greatness looked up from Rhea's arms, and then came a kingdom nestled in a valley of green. I stood in front of it; it was made from pure white granite marble. Gold flecks were edged into every step and wall in the palace. Two great wings flew out to the side. One was made with tall spindles swirling up to the top. On the very top two sculptures of the angels of Olympus stood holding hands, the sun beat down on them and they shined like jewels. The other was an arena with a wide arched roof. A hole opened directly through the roof, defeating the whole entire purpose of a roof. As I moved I felt like I was in slow motion, the grass rippled through the wind. It was long and luscious small blue flowers grew up through the grass.

A tall man stepped out through the front doors, two slaves drew a winged horse with a wild look to him. The man reached out with a hand to calm the crazed horse. But he winged up, the slaves tried to hold onto the horse but they could not. The Pegasus screamed at them, but the man grabbed hold of the rope around its head, with extreme strength the horse knelt to its knees to the man. I studied him; he had brown curly hair and the bluest eyes I had only seen one other time in my life. A golden circle lay atop the curls. He was a mirror image of Marcus. A scream erupted throughout the kingdom.

"FATHER! FATHER, COME QUICK! I HAVE A BROTHER, FATHER! A BROTHER!" A little girl ran out after her father, a beautiful flowing dress circled around her ankles. She jumped up and down, the king turned to his daughter. A smile filled his face. He lifted the child into his arms,

"Let's go meet your little brother, my sweet girl." She giggled, he set her down and she ran back into the castle. Before he followed after her, he turned to the sky. "Thank you Encara. Thank you Mother, for my son." He smiled at the sky and walked in after his daughter.

Time snapped back into place, I turned to Marcus. I felt light headed, Encara… She was one of the Ancients…Cold Marcus's father be the son of Encara? "Marcus what was your grandmother's name?" He turned to me, and the look that filled his deep blue eyes was a bitter look of dread. I knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"Encara."


End file.
